'Stop the FOBTs' gets a voice in front of parliamentarians
Campaign for Fairer Gambling
Derek Webb, the founder of the Campaign for Fairer Gambling shares his thoughts on an All Party Parliamentary Group hearing on fixed odds betting terminals
The first hearing of the new All Party Parliamentary Group on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals was held today. Speakers included problem gamblers and myself.
The main body of my speech was as follows:
To explain every angle of FOBTs would take me all 12 hours of your proposed hearings. But at its core, the issue is so simple.
When FOBTs were approved, a gift to the DCMS minister was granted to allow stake reduction, if adequate evidence of associated harm was forthcoming. By definition, stake reduction would be a precautionary approach, so the standard of proof required should not even need to rise to a balance of probability level.
However, the available evidence is robust, clear and convincing. A stake reduction to £2 maximum per spin, on parity with highest maximum on other high street machines, should be delivered as soon as possible through a new statutory instrument.
The campaign would not exist but for my success in collating evidence in US litigation cases, the three licensing objectives of the 2005 Gambling Act and the ability of DCMS to reduce FOBT stakes.
Matt Zarb-Cousin, who is no longer with the campaign, joined as a consultant. He had been a FOBT roulette addict, was an underage gambler and gambled at other activities without being addicted to them. He got treatment that worked for him - cognitive behavioural therapy.
Adrian Parkinson also joined the campaign as a consultant and a whistle-blower. He had worked for the Tote and was responsible for rolling out FOBTs. He saw how FOBTs changed the shop demographic, how previous over-the-counter controlled gamblers changed after getting hooked on FOBT roulette, how the atmosphere in shops became more toxic, how staff abuse increased, how violence in shops increased and how easily FOBTs facilitated money-laundering.
There are many parties that share the blame for where we are today with FOBTs. The suppliers, the bookmakers, those involved with creating the 2005 Gambling Act and every government that failed to regulate bookmakers prior to then. There is intellectual compromise in the handling of the FOBT issue by each of DCMS, the Gambling Commission, the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board and the Responsible Gambling Trust, which has had the same effect as if there had been corruption or conspiracy.
Gamblers Anonymous and GamCare, whilst providing some help to some people, are a poor substitute for public health involvement in a mental health issue. The totality of gambling related harm, in particular FOBT related harm, is increasing daily.
The Senet Group and the Association of British Bookmakers (the ABB) provide a PR media front to support the FOBT status quo. They are promoting a Gamble Aware week starting on Monday July 18 with an ABB event in the House of Commons.
The ABB CEO, Malcolm George, claims that betting shops are the safest places to gamble on the high street. This is absolutely false. They are probably the most dangerous legalised gambling venues anywhere in the developed world.
FOBT roulette is not as fair as the traditional casino table game roulette. FOBTs are more associated with disordered gambling than any other gambling activity. As a result, betting shops have far higher incidents of crime and violence, the vast majority of which are FOBT related, than any other gambling premises.
The murder of a betting shop manager and the attempted murder of a young female employee would not have happened were it not for FOBTs.
Some will say I am too aggressive but I will compromise. A stake reduction to £2 will allow the bookmakers to take advantage of the revenues and market share they have obtained through introducing FOBTs illegally and then misleading the public, media and Parliamentarians about FOBT facts.
There were many excellent questions posed by the Group members who were a most refreshing contrast to other parliamentarians of late who have shown an unwillingness to acknowledge the dangers of FOBTs. The Group on Betting and Gaming, chaired by Philip Davies MP, has been unwilling to listen to problem gamblers and the CMS committee, on which Mr Davies also played a strong role in 2012, has also been unwilling to listen to my oral evidence.
There was enough evidence to restrict FOBT stakes in 2012. However, the consequential harm of inaction on FOBTs has paved the way for many tragedies, particularly in respect of the violent attacks on shop staff. A number of people have blood on their hands, but they still don’t want to acknowledge the extent of FOBT harm.
The Gambling Commission has now set up a Confidential Intelligence Reporting Line 0121 230 6655 and intelligencereports@gamblingcommission.gov.uk for reporting of gambling criminality and regulatory infractions. The day of reckoning for FOBTs is getting closer than ever.
PoliticsHome Newsletters
Get the inside track on what MPs and Peers are talking about. Sign up to The House's morning email for the latest insight and reaction from Parliamentarians, policy-makers and organisations.
