Campaign group takes on bookies
11:49am Thursday 14th February 2013 in News
A CAMPAIGN to limit the number of fixed odds betting machines in bookmakers has been launched in a bid to persuade more MPs to support the cause.
The Campaign for Fairer Gambling unveiled its new “Stop the FOBTs” website in Westminster on Monday.
The move follows figures released in January revealing that gamblers in Bolton spent almost £190 million on the fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) in 2012.
The website allows users to see estimates of how many machines there are in their area — split into parliamentary constituencies — and how much was spent.
The most cash was spent in Bolton South East, which includes Farnworth, Great Lever and Kearsley, with £94,806,833 being fed into 91 machines.
Gamblers in Bolton North East spent £53,091,827 on 51 machines in areas including Astley Bridge, Bradshaw, Breightmet and Halliwell.
Bolton West had the lowest ‘spend’ with £41,715,007 going into 40 machines in Horwich, Westhoughton, Heaton, Blackrod and Atherton, taking the overall total in Bolton to £189,613,667.
Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi, who is supporting the campaign, has in the past accused bookmakers of exploiting deprived areas like Farnworth.
She said she was very concerned by the figures.
“The national figures appear to show that bookmakers are deliberately targeting poorer areas with the highest levels of deprivation — areas where people simply cannot afford to lose this money,” she said.
Campaign founder Derek Webb addressed MPs at Monday’s launch.
Mr Webb said: “We need to Stop the FOBTs tomorrow, not after the next general election, not after FOBT gamblers have lost about another £4 billion, not after Treasury has taken FOBT direct tax of about another £800 million, not after FOBT problem gamblers have lost about another £1 billion.”
An FOBT is a touchscreen machine with a variety of different games, but the most popular is roulette.
The time between spins on roulette is about 20 seconds, and it is possible to bet up to £100 each time.
For more information go to stopthefobts.
org.
Comments(9)
saj70n
says...
12:46pm Thu 14 Feb 13
BWFC1988
says...
12:57pm Thu 14 Feb 13
boltoncity
says...
1:09pm Thu 14 Feb 13
BWFC1988 wrote:and their families
If people want to blow their money on these machines leave them to it. Slap a surcharge on the machine that goes directly into the pot and everybody wins, except the punter of course.
BWFC1988
says...
1:13pm Thu 14 Feb 13
boltoncity wrote:That's their problem. If you apply that mentality to everything there'd be no takeaways, pubs, casino's etc etc. That's a lot of jobs. What's more important?
BWFC1988 wrote:and their families
If people want to blow their money on these machines leave them to it. Slap a surcharge on the machine that goes directly into the pot and everybody wins, except the punter of course.
Marzi30
says...
2:33pm Thu 14 Feb 13
... As a Corals bookmakers. If that's how open minded the Council are to regenerate Bolton then in 10 years time we will have a Town centre consisting of only Pound Shops, Cash Generators, Charity Shops, Takeaways and Bookies. That should have them queuing up to use our new multi million transport interchange. Does Councillor Doris and his self serving cabinet live in a parallel Bolton to the rest of us ?
firksyyyyy
says...
5:22pm Thu 14 Feb 13
Reed Lover
says...
12:19am Fri 15 Feb 13
The figures quoted relate to monies that are reinvested during play not cash inserted into the machines.
For example if you were to walk into the bookies with a pound coin and played roulette, placing £1 on a single number, and you won you would have £36 to reinvest. Say you reinvest all £36 including £12.85 (the max you can stake on any number) on a winning number you would now have £500. Remember you only put £1 in the machine but so so far you have staked £37. Next you play 5 spins at £100 (the maximum) and lose. You have staked £537 but in reality you have only lost £1 and the bookie has made 85p - 15% goes to the Govt.
Understand?
Whatever the rights and wrongs of gambling the argument against is not helped by hysterical people exaggerating figures wildly to suit their mission to restrict personal freedoms.
thetrotter
says...
8:32am Fri 15 Feb 13
Marzi30 wrote:10 years!!
Let's start on our own doorstep, how many bookies have opened up in the immediate vicinity of the Town centre over the last few months ? I can think of 4 off the top of my head. Only recently one of Bolton's most prominent buildings, the old Nationwide Building Society in Victoria Square was refurbished.........
... As a Corals bookmakers. If that's how open minded the Council are to regenerate Bolton then in 10 years time we will have a Town centre consisting of only Pound Shops, Cash Generators, Charity Shops, Takeaways and Bookies. That should have them queuing up to use our new multi million transport interchange. Does Councillor Doris and his self serving cabinet live in a parallel Bolton to the rest of us ?
boltonnut says...
12:41pm Thu 14 Feb 13
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