Will the Labor party press for a policy change concerning FOBTs in UK?

The policy modification concerning FOBTs in UK is still one of the hot issues around the gambling industry in the country: will the Labor pary make additional pressure to the Government?

A few weeks ago GamingZion wrote about the intention of the UK government to start a massive inquiry into the so called fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs). FOBTs were under the focus of criticism in the UK, after campaigners who were not satisfied with the possibility that punters are able to wager up to GBP 100 a time on the machines, exposed the issue in details in the public. Campaigners call that the possibility for wagering up be reduced to a maximum of GBP 2.

The Campaigners look for support from the Labor party

Latest gambling news from the country state that Kelvin Hopkins, a long-term supporter of the campaign against FOBTs and now shadow spokesperson responsible for gambling, supported the attempts of the Government.In the same time he noted that there is a wide evidence of addiction, suicide and violence which is related to FOBTs, and that the longer the government takes to change maximum stake regulations, the more lives the machines will destroy.

Derek Webb, one of the leaders of the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, also expressed his expectations that the Labour Party applies a further pressure on the government on this very important issue. As online gambling sites in UK report, Webb claimed in the past that the government must try to agree with the Newham Council proposal to reduce FOBT stakes under the Sustainable Communities Act and if not doing so the government could be subject to a legal challenge.