Australia urged to follow the UK’s FOBTs crackdown

An Independent MP said that he’s expecting the UK’s crackdown on FOBTs to increase pressure on Australian governments to introduce similar measures.

Australia.- After the UK authorities announced that the maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) will be slashed 98 per cent from £100 to £2, Australian Independent MP Andrew Wilkie said that he hoped the measure would increase pressure on local governments to introduce similar restrictions.

“The Federal Government has it within its power to legislate for $1 maximum bets, as well as other harm minimisation measures like mandatory pre-commitment,” Wilkie said, adding: “Unfortunately, the Government has shown itself to be thoroughly uninterested when it comes to reining in poker machines. And no wonder, when you look at the enormous donations both major parties receive from the gambling industry.”

Australian Baptist minister and anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello welcomed the UK’s decision to cut the maximum stake on FOBTs and said that Australia should follow. “I welcome what the UK has done and think Australia should follow.” And he added: “If you ever ask the public, it is always over 70 per cent ‘we hate them’. So it is really politicians within the industry who are opposing what the public wants.”

“Australia has with pokies a blindness that America has with guns. The NRA in America has captured politicians, the pokies lobby has captured politicians,” Costello said.