Three Local Councils Support Restriction of FOBTs in UK

Fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) in the UK at gunpoint by local councils supporting “Stop the FOBTs” campaign.

Fareham, Brighton and Hove City, and Preston are the latest three councils in the UK to vote in favor of stimulating the Government to restrict FOBTs, and to join “Stop the FOBTs” campaign.

According to the current UK gambling law, the number of FOBTs per betting shop is limited to four, but the local authorities are not happy with their restriction of power to control the number of betting shops in their area.

Fareham Council voted on the Government to lower the minimum stake on FOBTs to £2, which would make them similar to machines in pubs, bingo halls, etc, but still very different from mobile casino stakes. Sean Woodward, Fareham Council’s leader, commented: “Now we have the march into betting shops of the FOBTs where up to £100 can be bet every 20 seconds. They are the crack cocaine of gambling.”

The other two local councils express similar concerns about the effect of FOBTs on the community. Unfortunately, vulnerable people are forced to get into debt or crime related activities, due to the use of these machines. Despite the popularity of online casinos in the UK, FOBTs are still very successful.

Derek Webb, founder of “Stop the FOBTs” campaign, further said: “Local communities and their councilors are far better placed to assess the damage FOBTs are causing than gambling regulators and highly paid civil servants in Whitehall.”