Forum topic: A new chance to reduce the misery caused by fixed-odd betting terminals

Readers with long memories may recall that a couple of years ago I published an open letter to our then MP, David Burrowes, re his stance on fixed-odd betting terminals in betting shops, as at the time it appeared that Parliament might tighten up the regularion of these dreadful machines. I was hoping that our MP would join some of his colleagues in pressing for some significant changes, but in the end it seems that his claimed concerns about these machines weren't strong enough for him to join those voting for change.

You can read the correspondence here:

https://www.pgweb.uk/planning-all-subjects/planning-and-development-overview/781-fixed-odd-betting-terminals-an-open-letter-to-david-burrowes-mp

In the end, nothing was done to improve the situation at that time, but the subject is again in the news, and as well as contacting our current MP, Bambos Charalambous, I would like to urge everyone to sign the petition at the following link:

https://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/2654

For some background, there is a House of Commons briefing paper
http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06946/SN06946.pdf

and an entire website dedicated to opposing fixed-odd betting terminals

www.stopthefobts.org

Here are some recent newspaper reports:

The Guardian: Crackdown on fixed-odds betting terminals unveiled:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/oct/31/uk-government-cracks-down-fixed-odds-betting-terminals-fobt

The Independent: Maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals to be cut from £100:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/fixed-odds-betting-terminals-maximum-stake-cut-100-to-50-and-2-government-gambling-a8028646.html

The Independent: I was addicted to gambling machines at 16, and despite clear evidence the industry refuses to accept that there's a problem:
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/gambling-fixed-odd-betting-terminals-fobt-government-regulation-a7915176.html

The Impartial Reporter: Parents who lost beloved son tell how ‘gambling is a killer’:
http://www.impartialreporter.com/news/15069168.Parents_who_lost_beloved_son_tell_how____gambling_is_a_killer___/

Tories seem to be announcing a crack down on these. Much needed. Betting crack poverty creators.

PG is plagued by way too many bookies as it is, at least if they can't have these machines in them that's one thing.

It does look as if the government is likely to bring in some new restrictions, but what exactly they will be is being discussed. Specifically, the speed at which money can be lost. At the moment it's 3 x £100 stakes per minute. Various lower amounts are under consideration, the lowest being 3 x £2 per minute. Which would be a great improvement, but doesn't take away from the fact that these machines are designed to be addictive.

As regards the number of bookies in PG, there's a maximum of four FOBTs per shop, which incentivises the firms to open multiple shops in a locality.