NEARLY £8 million in cash is estimated to have been poured into gambling machines in Clackmannanshire in one year alone.
Recently released figures from the Campaign for Fairer Gambling estimate punters in the Wee County lost around £1.5 million on fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) between October 2014 and September 2015.
FOBTs, which can be found in 10 licensed shops around Clacks, have been dubbed “the crack cocaine of gambling” and allow players to stake up to £100 a spin on high-speed casino games, commonly roulette.
According to estimates, Wee County gamblers inserted around £7.8 million into the terminals and walked away nearly 20 per cent poorer “with absolutely disastrous social and economic consequences”.
Shockingly, the total amount of money wagered in the same time period was £44.6 million, which includes cash gamblers won and staked again and again, showing high levels of activity taking place on the machines. In theory, a player could wager as much as £300 a minute.
Adrian Parkinson of the Campaign for Fairer Gambling worked with BBC Panorama on the show’s latest episode, which aired last week.
Panorama’s ‘Why are Gambling Machines Addictive?’ investigated issues around the terminals, which can have up to 90 different games on them. The programme unveiled research, being done for the first time, into what effect the machines have on a player’s brain.
Adrian told the Advertiser that the high-speed, high-frequency and very intense nature of FOBTs differs greatly from buying a scratch card or a lottery ticket once or twice a week.
He said: “The result of that persistent activity is that it permanently damages and changes the brain and that’s the nature of the addiction.
“Their brain becomes conditioned to that type of gambling. The faster it is, the more intense it is – that’s what they are seeking.”
Because there is no substance being abused, like alcohol or other drugs, most people may not consider gambling addiction to be similar to more widely known problems.
Adrian continued: “And the bookmakers put this argument out: ‘It’s the player that needs to take responsibility’.
“Well, that Panorama episode shows clearly it is not the player, it is the machines that condition the players’ mind toward addiction.
“Once you are in that addiction, there’s literally no way out of it. Your brain has been conditioned to it.”
The Association of British Bookmakers, which represents the majority of the betting sector, said 99.5 per cent of the adult population gambles responsibly and those who do develop an addiction rarely, if ever, limit themselves to just one form of gambling.
A statement said: “Fixed odds betting terminals have been played in betting shops for over 15 years and yet problem gambling levels have remained stable before and after their introduction, at 0.5 per cent of the population.
“We have voluntarily introduced a range of responsible gambling measures in the last two years that go far beyond what is required by law.
“We will continue to build on our work to date and develop new responsible gambling measures to help the minority who do get into problems and ensure that they seek the help that they need.”
It added that the number of betting shops is on the decline and the number of FOBTs also fell by 0.5 per cent in the past year.
The statement continued: “The average gross profit for bookmakers on gaming machines is equivalent to just £12 per hour, before any expenses and contribution to overheads, with an average loss on machines of just £6.75 and the average session lasting around 10 minutes.”
According to the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, 56 per cent of betting shops’ profits come from FOBTs, compared to just 20 per cent from horse racing.
The Scottish Parliament only has limited powers devolved from Westminster to control the machines. It can curb the number of terminals in one shop, but only in new premises.
According to current UK law, licensed betting shops can operate no more than four machines in total. But this does not stop companies from opening more premises in the same locality to maximise the number of machines in one given area.
However, an all-party group has been formed at Westminster, launching an inquiry into the issue that is due to report next year.
Local MSP Keith Brown said: “Fixed odds betting terminals blight communities across Clackmannanshire – with absolutely disastrous social and economic consequences.
“At the moment £100 can be blown on a 20 second spin. That’s £300 in a minute – or £18,000 every hour. It is little wonder that FOBTs have become known as the ‘crack cocaine of gambling’.
“The Scottish Government argued for the full devolution of gambling policy to Scotland on the grounds that this would enable problem gambling in Scotland to be tackled more effectively.
“However, the limited powers transferred to Scotland will only allow ministers to set the maximum number of fixed odds betting terminals in new betting shops only – leaving the power over those in existing shops in the hands of Westminster.
“The Scottish Government will now consult on how this limited power might be used and will also consider changes to planning legislation in respect of betting shops through the ongoing Review of Planning.”
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