Govt forced to rethink plans expanding high-stake slot machines

The Government has paused plans to allow the proliferation of high-stake gambling machines across Great Britain, it has been reported.

According to a letter seen by The Guardian, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said it would not change regulations on betting machines “this year” due to “concerns about the strength of protections for vulnerable people in the adult gaming centre sector”.

Currently, under the “80/20 rule”, only 20 per cent of slot machines in adult gaming centres (AGC) can be category B3, which have maximum stakes of £2 with prizes up to £500. The remaining 80 per cent must only allow stakes of up to £1 with £100 prizes.

‘Widespread problems’

The previous Government planned to weaken the restriction, and DCMS reported last year that it was considering whether to introduce a 50/50 ratio or liberalise it completely.

But Iain Duncan Smith, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Gambling Reform, welcomed the pause for thought. He observed: “Given the insufficient protections in place for people in these venues and the addictive nature of these machines, increasing their numbers should be ruled out entirely”.

He highlighted that the “current widespread breaches of regulations by AGCs, which are now proliferating on our high streets, must be urgently looked into.”

Labour MP Beccy Cooper added: “Local councils also need more powers to enable them to restrict the number of gambling outlets in local communities to prevent gambling harms”.

‘Destruction’

Last year, a man whose life was “destroyed” by betting spoke out about how he now helps others confront their problem gambling.

At 15 years of age, Colin Brown accrued a small win from a 50p slot machine wager. Now 42, he reckons to have lost more than £250,000 to the gambling industry.

He said: “I wouldn’t buy anything for myself and my fridge would be bare because I would rather spend money on a bet”.

“Gambling destroyed my life, my relationships and my trust with people but you can rebuild it, so that’s the message I’m trying to get across to people,” he added.