Ministers 'putting betting industry jobs at risk'

Ministers today announced new controls on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) as part of "a cautionary approach to tackling the issue of player protection".

Councils are also set to receive new planning powers to restrict the number of betting shops on the high street.

The Association of British Bookmakers' chief executive Dirk Vennix said: “The proposed changes to the way customers are able to stake more than £50 will impose extra costs on the industry whilst there is no evidence to show that restricting B2 stakes will do anything to minimise problem gambling. Limiting access to one product just means the vast majority of responsible gamblers will be inconvenienced and problem gamblers will gamble on other products.

"We also want to working constructively with the Government and Gambling Commission to keep problem gambling at the record low levels because we share the same objective - that one problem gambler is one too many. That’s why we want to work with all parties to build the best possible harm prevention framework."

Mr Vennix added that the industry’s new Code of Conduct for Player Protection "has already had a significant impact with breaks in play, increased customer interaction and more self-exclusions".

More than one million voters petitioned Downing Street earlier this week to call on a proportionate response to the gambling industry.

"Enough is enough. Betting shops are fully committed to tackle problem gambling even further, but this needs to be based on facts, not scaremongering."

We look forward to seeing the results of the independent research into problem gambling which are being carried out by Nat Cen, because regulatory decisions have to be based on empirical evidence.