War On Between SNP and UK Government To Lower Bets at FOBTs

Scottish National Party accuses UK government for fixed odds betting terminals' shortcomings.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) has accused the UK government for not living up to its promise to give Scotland the additional power needed to tackle problems that have developed from fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs). The terminals are the object of criticism from people in both the political and gambling industry because of their power to cause addiction among players, which see the latter spending as much as $457 on FOBts and Web shop gambling, in a mere 1 minute.

Politicians have been bidding for maximum stake bill to be introduced whereby machines should allow a maximum of only GBP 2 to be used for betting on the FOBTs, instead of the current GBP 100. Sometime late last year, UK gambling news revealed a Smith Commission report gave recommendations to help against FOBTs abuse of vulnerable players but the UK government has seemed to turn a deaf ear to recommendations made by the Smith Commission which are wholly supported by the SNP.

to tackle the scourge of FOBTS government needs to stop simplifying draft clauses

The political party said that Prime Minister David Cameron has to date given the Scottish government authority under UK gambling laws to change the number of machines in any individual promise before a new betting license is granted. The SNP said that full powers need to be delegated in order to do something concrete about the FOBTs' issues in Scotland.

Stuart McMillan, SNP's MP says that “FOBTs blight communities across Scotland – with absolutely disastrous social and economic consequences. Despite the recommendations of the Smith Commission that the Scottish Parliament should be able to act, Westminster has chosen to ignore the problem by watering down the draft clauses to the point where they will not address the root of the problem”.