The ex shadow culture secretary Michael Dugher criticised the UK Government, and more specifically the country’s Prime Minister Theresa May, for recently imposing stricter measures on retail bookmakers. This is not the first time the Government faces such criticism, as it has been accused in being unfair in its crackdown to fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs), while at the same time ignoring quite identical problems related to the National Lottery.
Mr. Dugher said he embraced the Government’s decision to review the country’s gambling industry, but also shared that local betting outlets were not the only problem. He said that a great deal of people who play the National Lottery are problem gamblers, and their number was even larger than the problem gamblers involved with fixed-odds betting terminals. In his opinion, scratch cards were also among the most addictive gambling activities and had had a negative impact on local gamblers.
The criticism towards UK Prime Minister May has been piling up, especially after the Government’s call for evidence to review the gambling industry in October 2016. Earlier in 2016, the UK Culture Minister Tracy Crouch revealed that the fixed-odds betting terminals in the country would be reviewed because they could cause serious harm to more vulnerable players and individuals.
According to Mr. Dugher, the country’s Government has been using double standards when it comes to high street bookmakers and the National Lottery, while very similar issues exist in regard to slot machines and scratch cards. The former shadow culture secretary explained that due to the stricter measures imposed by the British Government, hundreds of betting shops would be endangered by closing down, especially in case that more restrictions are implemented within the UK gambling industry.
Mr. Dugher demanded that the UK Government should increase the extent of its review of the gambling industry to scratch cards and the National Lottery, since they were also a major issue because of the large number of people involved with them.
At the end of October 2016 the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) published a special review aimed at gaming machines as well as social responsibility measures. The call for evidence was planned as a starting point for the implementation of stricter measures on the UK gambling industry, considering the increasing number of players affected by problem gambling behaviour. It was the Government’s aim to protect more vulnerable individuals from the harmful effects of gambling activities.
Over the last few months, the UK Government’s concerns related to the FOBTs in the region have been constantly increasing. The Minister Tracey Crouch then commented on the matter, saying that finding the right balance in the industry was crucial in order to keep the gambling industry as one of the key contributors to the economy and at the same time ensuring the best protection possible for local customers.
- Author
Daniel Williams
