Dear MPs – please sign EDM 61
Derek Webb
| Campaign for Fairer Gambling
The Campaign for Fairer Gambling calls on MPs to sign an Early Day Motion calling on the Government to further regulate fixed odds betting terminals.
A recent Early Day Motion (EDM) 61 has been tabled by a cross party group of MPs which notes that…
“That this house welcomes the creation of the Fixed Odds Betting Terminals All-Party Parliamentary Group; acknowledges that there has been a widespread proliferation in the number of fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) since the Gambling Act was passed in 2005; notes that more can and should be done by all stakeholders to prevent the social harm caused by these machines; further notes that are nine known suicides related to FOBT use, including two tragic cases in the last 12 months; calls on the Government to further regulate FOBTs and act on a precautionary basis by substantially reducing the stake on these machines until evidence can be found that they are safe; and commits to undertaking that gambling is undertaken responsibly and with proper supervision.”
Is there any reason why a socially caring and conscientious MP would object to signing this EDM?
The newly formed All Party Parliamentary Group on FOBTs is calling for written submissions on the issue to be sent by 31 July to the Secretariat, Kenneth Pritchard, at Kenneth.pritchard@interelgroup.com or Telephone - 020 7592 3800.
If any MP has doubts about signing the EDM, then maybe a review of just a few recent stories would help. Firstly, there was the story relating to shop working conditions and single staffing in the Guardian which followed revelations in the Mirror of betting shop workers’ lives being put at risk.
Secondly, The Guardian also published an article by Greg Wood titled, “Derby glamour in sharp contrast to UK betting industry’s darker side.” Referring to the racing industry he states, “Shamefully, it has lent its support to bookies claims that stronger regulation or an outright ban on FOBTs would lead to hundreds of shop closures”
The Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) has provided a KPMG document to Government which is being used to help with these claims of impending doom if action is taken on FOBTs. But until that document is made public and subject to scrutiny how can anyone validate the claims it makes? Yet more dodgy dossiers it would seem! Despite multiple requests from CFG, this report remains shrouded in a cloak of secrecy.
The horseracing levy is on horseracing turnover, not FOBT turnover. The bookies are promoting FOBTs in their shops to encourage crossover from horseracing business. Based on these two points alone, there is no justification for the racing industry not speaking out against FOBTs.
Thirdly, an article by Amelia Gentleman, “Inside the NHS’s only specialist gambling clinic”, had the subtitle, “If people could admit “I am a problem gambler” in the same way they say “I am an alcoholic” they could be protected ….”
Gamblers Anonymous, whilst well-intentioned and very useful for some people, is now an outdated mode of treatment with a high lapse rate. Furthermore, the official Gamcare help-line only provides counselling itself. At least the Clinic, dealing with the most intensive cases using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, has a 60% to 70% success rate six months after therapy.
With the majority of the clinics’ clients having problems with FOBTS and online sports betting, these groups would easily comprise 65% or more nationally. Add all the crime and violence factors related to FOBTs with the fact that there is the power to reduce the stake under a Statutory Instrument and it is inconceivable that EDM 61 does not have merits.
The most dangerous aspect of FOBTs are the consequential violent acts. Even as early as 2010, the ABB set up a “Protocol for Reporting Damage to Gaming Machines to the Metropolitan Police”, whereby incidents would not be reported unless the suspect was still on the premises or was a person whose name was known to staff.
However, the Gambling Commission, in its advice to DCMS for the 2013 Triennial Review of Stakes and Prizes, claimed that there was no breach of the “no association between gambling and crime” licensing objective in respect of FOBTs.
No wonder local authorities are so frustrated with the Gambling Commission that they have petitioned for the stake reduction to £2 under the Sustainable Communities act. With the now considerable delay in starting the 2016 Triennial Review, local authorities are bound to also become very frustrated with DCMS.
In Scotland, the power to vary the number of FOBTs allowed in new betting shops has now been devolved to Holyrood. The question is how the Scottish Government implements that power. Will local Licensing Authorities decide how many machines will be permitted in a particular venue each time a new betting shop application lands on their desks and face the inevitable legal battle when they try to impose a cap below the normal four machines? Or will Holyrood say “no more” and impose a zero cap and effectively ban any more FOBTs on Scottish soil?
These are just a few updates from the last couple of weeks in the ongoing debacle of FOBTs. CFG believes the bookmakers know stake reduction is an inevitability and they plan to hold on to their multibillion pound addictive machines until the Government finally plucks up the courage to tackle them.
It is up to MPs to keep applying that pressure on Government and EDM 61 is another great point of pressure.
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