Ban fixed odds betting terminals, Holyrood committee says
Fixed odds betting terminals should be banned from bookmakers' premises, and the Scottish Parliament should be given the necessary powers to achieve this, according to a committee of MSPs in a report published today.
Holyrood's Local Government & Regeneration Committee reached its conclusion following an inquiry into the use of fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs), a controversial form of hard gambling which can see players lose hundreds of pounds in minutes.
Introduced in 2001 to licensed betting premises, FOBTs allow players to bet on the outcome of various games and events with fixed odds returns. Games may include roulette, bingo, and also simulated horse and greyhound racing and a range of slot machine games. During its inquiry, the committee heard evidence that these machines are sometimes referred to as the "crack cocaine" of gambling. Up to four FOBTs can be made available under a betting premises licence.
The inquiry considered the Scotland Bill proposal to devolve powers to limit the number of FOBTs allowed in new licensed betting premises. The committee concludes that, given the high number of existing FOBTs in bookmakers, the bill would not give the Scottish Parliament effective powers to tackle this issue.
It also believes that the bill would lead to an "uneven playing field", with regulatory confusion between bookmakers licensed under the existing arrangements and those licensed after the bill comes into effect.
Further, it calls on the UK and Scottish Governments to commission independent research into the effects of playing FOBTs and develop a policy to ensure play remains enjoyable and safe.
Failing the devolution of effective powers, the MSPs recommend that local authorities’ powers to inspect and review betting premises licences be strengthened. They also recommend that planning rules be changed to give local authorities more control over the number of bookmakers in local areas.
Committee convener Kevin Stewart MSP said the maximum stake of £100 per game and ability to play three games per minute meant that FOBTs were a form of hard gambling and had to be banned from the high street. He commented: “Our committee has been shocked by some of the evidence it has received about FOBT machines. We have heard how quickly and easily players can become addicted and lose hundreds, sometimes thousands, of pounds. The casino industry told us these machines are a form of hard gambling and unsuitable for the unsupervised environment of a bookmaker’s shop.
“We were given evidence about the clustering of bookmakers in some communities – for example, one parade of shops in Glasgow with three bookmakers each offering four FOBT machines – and local authorities have told us they feel powerless to do anything to restrict the number of bookmakers. Communities must be given the power to control this number. This is why we believe the planning rules have to be changed to give local authorities more control and the ability to address this clustering.
“The Scotland Bill proposals stem from a concern about the harmful effects of FOBTs, but the bill would not give the Scottish Parliament any real and effective powers to tackle these. The bill simply does not go far enough."