It seems that fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) would remain as one of the hottest issues in the gambling industry of the UK for the time being. It came to our knowledge, that a gambling addiction expert, Tony Marini, has harshly criticised the machines, which according to him, led players to temptation that could not be resisted.
After it became clear that players in Scotland have spent an amount of £1.1 billion on fixed-odds betting terminals in only an eight-year period, the expert in gambling addictions has shared his dismay with the amounts lost.
Now a gambling expert, Mr. Marini shared his personal experience with FOBTs to a reporter of The Scottish Sun. Mr. Marini confessed that he had a massive problem with fixed-odds betting machines, which resulted in him wasting approximately £2 million on betting and drugs over a 20-year period.
Having suffered from a gambling addiction himself, the therapist now believes that FOBTs are too much of a temptation for a problem gambler.
According to him, fixed-odds betting machines are more addictive than traditional gambling and betting, because they make it very easy for players to bet large stakes over very short periods of time. That was why he was not surprised with the massive amount of money spent by local players on those terminals. Mr. Marini further explained that fixed-odds betting terminals gave players a quick pleasure which was one of the main reasons why they were so preferred among contemporary players.
The gambling addictions expert also shared that the increased number of payment options, including regular bank cards and credit cards gave literally limitless opportunity to players to transfer funds, hence it was easier for them to get themselves in massive debts.
FOBTs as Part of UK Gambling Industry
As Casino Guardian has recently reported, fixed-odds betting terminals have been considered one of the most serious problems in the UK gambling industry to date. They were put under a lot of criticism by local regulatory authorities, charity organisations and industry experts due to their addictiveness and the high stakes allowed.
Currently, there are more than 34,000 fixed-odds betting machines on the territory of the UK, despite the local gambling regulatory body – the UK Gambling Commission – reported that the number of FOBTs was reduced by 0.6% in the period from April 2015 to March 2016.
However, despite the minor reduction, an increased number of players have chosen FOBTs to place their bets. Also, more addictions have been registered among punters who chose to play the fixed-odds betting terminals. As mentioned above, apart from their addictive nature, fixed-odds betting machines have been strongly criticised due to the fact they allowed players to place a maximum stake of £100 every 20 seconds.
That was why the UK Government has taken measures towards imposing more stricter rules on FOBTs in the country. Local authorities have been engaged in a thorough UK gambling industry review aimed to better understand the problems of the country’s gambling market and help the Government find an appropriate solution to the situation and improve the regulation of fixed-odds betting machines. However, the Government’s report that was due to be released in June got postponed until October 2017 because of certain disagreements between the Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the UK Treasury.
- Author
Daniel Williams
