So after all the hype, all the claims and all the exaggerations, just
0.5%of submissions supported calls for the stakes and prizes on betting shop gaming machines to be reduced in a recent public consultation. That shows clearly why Governments must continue to make decisions that affect thousands of people based on the facts and quantifiable evidence, not on the basis of myth-making.
Over the last few months as the Government has consulted on its plans for the stakes and prizes offered on all types of gaming machines, it has been variously claimed that there was an explosion or proliferation of betting shops, that people were shoving £100 after £100 into ‘new’ gaming machines (even though they have existed for over a decade) and losing £18,000 every hour as a result, and at one point, it was even claimed that a staggering £55 BILLION was being spent on just 33,000 gaming machines (almost twice the amount of the UK’s entire defence budget!)
If the Government had made a decision based on those sorts of myths then thousands of people would have seen their jobs put at risk for no justifiable reason.
As part of the public consultation the
ABB, representing the UK’s betting shops, focused on ensuring that evidence and facts were central to any decision the Government might make.
It was also an opportunity for the industry to set out the measures we already had in place to ensure people can bet responsibly and safely, but also develop that further which is why we introduced our Code for Responsible Gambling and Player Protection, that came into force across 95% of the UK’s betting shops this month.
This sets out very clear measures to help potential problem gamblers, including giving people the option to set their own limits on the time they play for or the money they spend.
As we said in our submission, the average gaming machine player does not spend £100 every twenty seconds as claimed, but plays once a month or less and spends an average of just £7.55 - quite a stark difference to the claims that players lose £18,000 an hour.
Far from shops proliferating, the number of betting shops has stayed broadly the same for the last ten years and the number of gaming machines has not changed for three years.
84% of all betting shops are located in commercial centres, just like many other retailers, and fewer than 4% of the UK’s retail units are occupied by betting shops – in London the figures are even lower; just 2.3% of retail units in Southwark for example are betting shops.
The Government’s decision to leave stakes and prizes as they are for gaming machines in bookmakers has been welcomed by the 55,000 people who work in the industry. It means that the risk to their personal futures has gone away, but also means the UK’s high streets and town centres will not suddenly see more retail units lying empty.
It has also been welcomed by our eight million customers who spend their leisure time in their local bookmakers, enjoying a range of products, from betting on sporting events to who is going to win ‘Strictly’ or playing on electronic gaming machines.
The consultation clearly sets out how much of an issue of concern to the public and elected politicians betting shop gaming machines actually are, and proves how right it is for decisions to be made on the basis of facts and evidence, and not driven by myth and exaggeration.
Out of the 9,560 responses to the consultation, the campaign to restrict gaming machines in betting shops (with all the media hype it had) only managed to attract
0.5%of the total responses while those who supported no change accounted for
99.5%of the responses.
Alongside that, if you were to believe opponents of betting offices, the biggest issues facing local councils has not been budget savings, social care for the elderly or repairing roads and pavements but the “massive influx” of betting shops.
Yet, out of around 400 local authorities in the country, just six –
six– made any form of submission to the consultation.
Having said this, the betting industry is firmly committed to responsible gambling and finding ways to minimise gambling related harm. As we have always said, one problem gambler is one too many.
The ABB’s new code for Responsible Gambling and Player Protection introduces several new precautionary measures aimed at harm minimisation on gaming machines in particular. It will ensure individuals are provided with the necessary information and the self-help tools they need to make an informed choice about their gambling.
Although we also believe there is no empirical evidence that gaming machines cause problem gambling the betting industry recognises that further research is needed. Betting operators will co-operate fully with the Responsible Gambling Trust project related to gaming machines to help to improve understanding of player behaviour and experiences.
The betting industry never stops looking at ways in which we can improve to ensure that gambling in the UK remains safe for the millions of people that visit our shops each year.
Dirk Vennix, Chief Executive,
Association of British Bookmakers