• Make FOBTs illegal or reduce the stakes

Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) have largely been ignored by policy-makers in Northern Ireland, operating in a legal grey area. Research has shown that they are found clustered in the most economically-deprived areas, having a significantly negative impact on local communities and on vulnerable people.

FOBTs have been linked closely to crippling debt, crime, mental health issues, marriage and family breakdown and in extreme cases – suicide.

Gambling is a devolved policy area in Northern Ireland so if Westminster reduces the stake to £2 per spin - a current consultation proposal - it will not impact Northern Ireland where the maximum spin would still remain at £100.

The legal status of FOBTs in Northern Ireland remains uncertain. A strong argument can be made that FOBTs should be deemed illegal under the legislative framework we currently have. However, it is known that at least several hundred FOBTs are currently operating in Northern Ireland. An exact figure cannot be given as the Department for Communities does not record the number of gambling machines operating in Northern Ireland.

CARE for Northern Ireland Policy Officer, Mark Baillie

“Northern Ireland has the highest problem gambling rate in the UK, yet no action has been taken on FOBTs which continue to negatively impact individuals, families and communities across the country. Action on this issue is long overdue.”

“The law in Northern Ireland in this area is no longer fit for purpose. The uncertainty over the legal status of FOBTs in Northern Ireland is deeply unhelpful and needs to be urgently addressed. FOBTs should either be made illegal as they already are in the Republic of Ireland or have their maximum stake reduced to £2 as is being proposed in Great Britain.”

“It may be the case in the near future that we could have the entirely unacceptable situation of FOBTs in Great Britain having a legal maximum stake of £2 while FOBTs in Northern Ireland continue to offer higher stakes due to the legal grey area we currently have. It is imperative such a situation is not allowed to develop.”

“The entire legal framework relating to FOBTs needs to be reformed as it is failing individuals, families and communities who are impacted by problem gambling. Ignoring this issue, leaving it in the 'too difficult box' can no longer be tolerated.”

Ends

Notes to the editor:

For more information please contact Rachael Adams on 020 7227 4731 / 07851 153693 or Rachael.adams@care.org.uk

CARE for NI has been a leading voice in calling for change in gambling legislation in Northern Ireland, and has spoken out about the harmful effects of FOBTs on individuals and society.

Report shows Northern Ireland has more than Four Times as Many Problem Gamblers as England -Northern Ireland has a higher proportion of ‘problem gamblers’ than any other UK region, a new report has found. The 2016 Northern Ireland Gambling Prevalence Survey identified 2.3% of people as being problem gamblers in the UK; more than four times the figure for England, which stands at 0.5%.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/interactive/2014/feb/28/gambling-betting-map-england-data

England's poorest bet £13bn on gambling machines -Amount gambled on high-speed machines in deprived boroughs is double that staked in richest areas, report claims

Research shows link between problem gambling and proliferation of betting shops with FOBTs

Wheel of Misfortune: the case for lowering the stakes on FOBTs – ResPublica and Fairer Gambling report, Oct 2017