British Bookmakers against MPs’ proposal

The government wants to reduce the maximum wage on FOBTs to £2.

UK.- The Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) has responded to the government’s plan of reducing the maximum wage on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) from £100 to £2. Members of the Parliament presented the results of a previous inquiry in order to introduce an official proposal.

The latest project aims at controlling the gaming activity by setting further conditions. The MPs suggested that the reduction could be established on a precautionary basis under Gambling Commission’s framework. Regulators would gather more information before presenting the debate in the parliamentary sessions.

According to the FOBT All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), the organisation which carried out the survey, based the proposal on the testimony of experts in the sector, as well as academics, problem gamblers, authorities, Gambling Minister Tracey Crouch, Sarah Harrison, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, Chris Kelly, Chair of the Responsible Strategy Gambling Board, and Kate Lampard, Chair of Gamble Aware.

In response, Malcom George, chief executive officer of ABB, expressed: “This is a deeply flawed report funded by vested interests who would directly benefit if its recommendations are ever implemented. The report is the view of a tiny group of anti-betting shop MPs.  This group has been financed by those with interests in the casino, arcade and pub industries.”

“We strongly believe that the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards should urgently investigate this All-Party Parliamentary Group. This group of MPs has operated in secrecy, provided no transcripts of the evidence given to their meetings and operated throughout behind closed doors away from public scrutiny,” he added.