William Hill Offers to Help Battle Gambling Addiction

The British bookmaker promises to implement new industry code and warn players how much they gamble away.

After recent scandals surrounding fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) in the UK caused a drop in company shares, bookmaker William Hill is looking to improve its tainted image by promising to lend a helping hand in the battle against gambling machines.

Share prices fell last week, after Prime Minister David Cameron said he shares the opposition’s concerns regarding FOBTs, but according to the latest gambling news, William Hill representatives announced they are willing to work with the British lawmakers to tackle the problems caused by betting terminals.

Anti-FOBT campaigners claim the machines are addictive and the Labour Party asked the Government to change British gambling laws to give local councils the power to reduce their numbers. Now, bookies are afraid their profits may suffer, as FOBTs bring in a total annual revenue of GBP 1.5 billion.

Moral code for the gambling industry

To help battle gambling addiction, William Hill is planning to implement a new industry code that requires bookies to inform clients how much money and time they spend playing.

A company trading update mentions: “In addition, we and the industry will continue to work with both government and the regulator to look at additional harm reduction measures, such as increasing the level of responsible gambling messaging in advertising, to supplement the code.”

The bookmaker is expecting a profit of around GBP 334 million for 2013, but the final report will be published on February 28.