he hit bookmakers would suffer from a severe cut to maximum stake limits on controversial fixed odds betting terminals could be only half as much as the Government has predicted.

 

A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) has claimed the reduction of stakes on the controversial terminals, known as FOBTs, from £100 now to £2 would only lead to £335m less being bet on them. This estimate is almost half the £639m predicted impact outlined in the Government’s consultation which ends later this month.

 

The report was commissioned by the British Amusement Catering Trade Association (Bacta), which represents the amusement machine industry and whose members include arcades which do not offer their customers FOBT machines.

 

CEBR claimed this drop in revenue, which could ultimately lead to the gambling industry paying less tax to the Government, could be partly counteracted by the fact the country spends an estimated £210m in relation to problem gambling directly linked to FOBTs.

 

The report stated it was “not our intention to suggest lower maximum stakes will simply erase [these costs]” but thought it would “surely have the potential to reduce the exposure to, and severity of, large losses amongst problem gamblers that continue to play on machines”.

 

 

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