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Lee Davy
UK News

Christian charity welcomes MP support on betting machine curbs

Of the 150 MPs questioned by the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, 72% want tougher measures, 81% say FOBTs are having a negative effect on society and 67% say the current maximum stake on FOBTs is too high.

The poll comes as a group of cross-party MPs launch an attempt to introduce stricter controls of betting machines across the country.

The new Fixed Odds Betting Terminals All Party Parliamentary Group will be chaired by Labour MP Carolyn Harris and will scrutinise the problems being caused by these machines.

In response to the poll, Christian charity CARE is calling on the government to take urgent action to reduce the maximum stake on FOBTs, often termed the 'crack cocaine' of gambling.

CARE Chief Executive Nola Leach said: "This polling is extremely encouraging and shows there is real appetite for action on FOBTs from MPs all across the House of Commons.

"Especially noteworthy is the fact that a majority of Conservative MPs polled want action to be taken and this puts real pressure on the government to act.

"FOBTs are socially destructive and a genuine social menace because of the highly toxic combination of high speed play and high maximum stake that encourages addiction which can bring devastating consequences.

"It is all too easy for people to lose vast sums of money in just one hour on these machines and we already know they are often clustered in poorer areas.

"Reducing the maximum stake on FOBTs in the first instance would help limit the harm they cause to people's lives.

"It would also ensure FOBTs are a far more benign form of entertainment and we would urge the government to stop stalling and take more robust action to curb these highly addictive machines."

The Gambling Bill, which has been proposed by Lord Clemont-Jones, recently had its second reading in the House of Lords. It's looking to reduce the maximum stake on FOBTs.

The Bill is expected to make its way through the legislative process in 2016.

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