The government has come under more pressure today to tackle problems caused by Fixed Odd Betting Terminals (FOBTs) after leading public figures wrote to The Times to express their support for gambling market reform.

Their contributions follow an article written by David Cameron’s former speech writer, Clare Foges who said in The Times yesterday that the conservative’s government refusal to consider reforms to the gambling sector was “curiously retro”.

Lord Clement-Jones said he hoped the government would give “full-hearted support” to his gambling bill. This legislation is awaiting its Second Reading in the House of Lords. CARE is backing the bill which would introduce real reform to the gambling sector by reducing the maximum stake on FOBTs from £100 to just £2.

Baroness Jowell, the former Secretary of State for culture, media and sport also said the government should act. She called for local authorities to be given new powers to restrict planning consent for new betting shops.

Frank Field MP pointed out poorer households spend a high proportion of their income on gambling. He said “the political debate needs to return to proposals for capping the amount of money that can be gambled in one go on a fixed odd betting terminal”.

CARE’s Chief Executive Nola Leach also had a letter published, the full text of which can be read here:

Sir,

Clare Foges rightly says the government could simply amend the Gambling Act to reduce the maximum stake from £100 to just £2, without the need for primary legislation. But there is another way. The government could throw its support behind Lord Clement-Jones’ Gambling Bill in the House of Lords which would reduce the maximum stake in the same way. His bill would transform FOBTs from a harmful and addictive source of misery to a relatively benign form of entertainment. The question is: what are the government waiting for?

Yours Sincerely,

Nola Leach

Chief Executive, Christian Action Research and Education

[This letter first appeared in print in The Times on January 26, 2016]