The list was compiled by Bacta, the trade union for the gaming machine industry, which asked the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR) to work out the true cost of gambling addiction to society. The economists built in the health impacts, the effects on jobs and financial security of each of the UK’s 110,000 problem gamblers and came up with a figure for each council area.

 

Under these criteria, FOBTs are costing Glasgow £27 million a year, way ahead of Birmingham, which lost more than £20 million, and Liverpool on just under £19 million. Edinburgh was sixth, losing just less than £14 million, while North and South Lanarkshire were in 11th and 12th with a £10 million cost to society every year.

 

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