FOBT stakes cut to £2

“The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has today issued a press release confirming that Fixed Odds Betting Terminal maximum stake is to be reduced from £100 to £2.

The changes are to be introduced following the Government’s consultation launched in October last year, the detailed response to which can be found here.

Tracey Crouch, the Minister for Sport and Civil Society has said:

Problem gambling can devastate individuals’ lives, families and communities. It is right that we take decisive action now to ensure a responsible gambling industry that protects the most vulnerable in our society. By reducing FOBT stakes to £2 we can help stop extreme losses by those who can least afford it.
While we want a healthy gambling industry that contributes to the economy, we also need one that does all it can to protect players”.

In addition to the reduction to FOBT stakes, the Government has confirmed that:

• The Gambling Commission will work with the industry to improve player control measures, including the potential ending of sessions when player limits are met and explore in more detail the costs and benefits of tracked play on B1 and B3 machines in other premises.
• Current stake and prize limits for all other gaming machines are to remain as existing for the time being.
• An uplift to stakes and prizes for prize gaming is to be made.
• The Gambling Commission will toughen up protections around online gambling including stronger age verification rules and proposals to require operators to set limits on consumers’ spending until affordability checks have been conducted.
• A major multi-million pound advertising campaign promoting responsible gambling, supported by industry and GambleAware, will be launched later this year.
• The Industry Group for Responsible Gambling (IGRG) has amended its code to ensure that a responsible gambling message will appear for the duration of all TV adverts.
• Public Health England will carry out a review of the evidence relating to the public health harms of gambling.
• As part of the next licence competition the age limit for playing National Lottery games will be reviewed, to take into accounts developments in the market and the risk of harm to young people.

Changes to current stake and prize limits will be introduced through secondary legislation, which will require parliamentary approval.

The Government has confirmed it will engage with the gambling industry to ensure it is given sufficient time to implement technological changes.”

For further information on this or any other legal related gambling issues contact solicitor Richard Bradley on 0115 953 8500 or email r.bradley@popall.co.uk.