The Welsh Government will be given the power to ban fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) after the Labour Party managed to convince the UK Government that it should delegate these prerogatives to local competent authorities.
The UK Government has confirmed that it plans such a change at a time when the the Parliament has been preparing one of the final debates on the Wales Bill. If such a change is implemented, the local Ministry will become responsible for issuing the licenses of high-stakes gaming machines in the region.
As reported by Casino Guardian in November, the Wales Office Minister Lord Bourne agreed to consider such a legislation change. Until now, gambling matters are not among the issues that could be devolved to regional authorities, but the centralised government has been urged to reconsider the situation.
The change was backed by the Office Minister of Wales Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, who addressed the matter to the UK Government. The Labour Party revealed that the change was required by its peers, who had described high-stakes machines as one of the most problematic forms of gambling which were also very addictive. According to the Labour Party, the legislation changes concerning the FOBTs should apply both to already existing and new machines. It also recommended that the maximum stake allowed to be made should amount to £2 instead of £10.
The new powers that are to be granted to the Welsh Government after the implementation of the legislation changes in the Wales Bill 2016-17 will provide Ministers with the chance to handle problem at a local level. It will also match the powers that have already been given to the Scottish Government.
Lately, the fixed-odds betting machines have been one of the most discussed issues related to the UK gambling industry. They were first introduced to UK players at the beginning of the 2000s and have ranked among the most preferred forms of gambling in the country. FOBTs allow punters to place bets of up to £100 every 20 seconds, which makes them significantly riskier due to the higher stake they offer in comparison to a regular fruit machine which offers a maximum bet of £2.
According to the Labour Party, there was enough evidence that these machines are highly addictive and can cause real and long-term damage to some players. This is what has made them a significant problem among more vulnerable people.
Currently, there are over 1,500 FOBTs on the territory of Wales. Stakes amounting to more than £1.6 billion are being placed on such machines on an annual basis.
- Author
Daniel Williams
