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09 Jan 13
22:05
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05 Jan 10
by Theo Merz, Evening Chronicle
Jan 9 2013
PEOPLE in the North East gambled almost one billion pounds on computerised betting machines over the last year, new figures reveal.
The regional spend on the high-street machines is one fifth of the national total.
Campaigners and MPs in the region say bookies are targeting the most vulnerable by pushing high-stake gambling terminals into the least affluent areas.
Chi Onwurah, Labour MP for Newcastle Central, where more than £144m being spent on the machines over the last 12 months, said she was “immensely concerned”.
“As Government cuts and the double dip recession impact the North East, there is a danger more people will turn to gambling as a quick fix, when in reality it only brings more debt,” she said.
In Ms Onwurah’s constituency, 38 betting shops made a total profit of almost £5m from 138 high-speed, high-stake gambling machines offering games like roulette, bingo and horse racing.
Adrian Parkinson, a spokesman for campaign group Fairer Gambling, which compiled the figures, said it was no coincidence Newcastle Central was among the constituencies with the highest number of people claiming job seeker’s allowance.
“There’s always been a correlation between betting and less affluent areas,” he said. “But since the emergence of betting terminals that’s become even clearer. If you are unemployed, the odds being pedaled are very attractive. But realistically you are not going to win £500 on a £1 spin.”
Mr Parkinson said the only way to stop bookies sucking money out of communities was to limit the number of betting terminals they could have.
Conservative MP for Hexham Guy Opperman, whose constituency saw the least spent on the machines and also has the lowest number of people claiming job seekers allowance in the region, said he was concerned by the new trend in gambling
Read More http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/evening-chronicle-news/2013/01/09/north-east-gambled-almost-1billion-on-machines-72703-32572297/#ixzz2HWD2USDi
Jan 9 2013
PEOPLE in the North East gambled almost one billion pounds on computerised betting machines over the last year, new figures reveal.
The regional spend on the high-street machines is one fifth of the national total.
Campaigners and MPs in the region say bookies are targeting the most vulnerable by pushing high-stake gambling terminals into the least affluent areas.
Chi Onwurah, Labour MP for Newcastle Central, where more than £144m being spent on the machines over the last 12 months, said she was “immensely concerned”.
“As Government cuts and the double dip recession impact the North East, there is a danger more people will turn to gambling as a quick fix, when in reality it only brings more debt,” she said.
In Ms Onwurah’s constituency, 38 betting shops made a total profit of almost £5m from 138 high-speed, high-stake gambling machines offering games like roulette, bingo and horse racing.
Adrian Parkinson, a spokesman for campaign group Fairer Gambling, which compiled the figures, said it was no coincidence Newcastle Central was among the constituencies with the highest number of people claiming job seeker’s allowance.
“There’s always been a correlation between betting and less affluent areas,” he said. “But since the emergence of betting terminals that’s become even clearer. If you are unemployed, the odds being pedaled are very attractive. But realistically you are not going to win £500 on a £1 spin.”
Mr Parkinson said the only way to stop bookies sucking money out of communities was to limit the number of betting terminals they could have.
Conservative MP for Hexham Guy Opperman, whose constituency saw the least spent on the machines and also has the lowest number of people claiming job seekers allowance in the region, said he was concerned by the new trend in gambling
Read More http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/evening-chronicle-news/2013/01/09/north-east-gambled-almost-1billion-on-machines-72703-32572297/#ixzz2HWD2USDi
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Conservative MP for Hexham Guy Opperman, whose constituency saw the least spent on the machines and also has the lowest number of people claiming job seekers allowance in the region, said he was concerned by the new trend in gambling
A pound to a shilling someone from the last goverment give the Bookies a little nudge a few years ago what areas to go for. |
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quick sums, plenty noughts, but looks right, uk betting shops 8000, 4 FOBTS per shop, each shop gets £4000 per week .
8000x£4000=£32,000,000 per week x 52= £1,664,000,000 per year profit this profit represents 2.72% of turnover. cant even work out what FOBT annual turnover is |
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bet you wish you had held on to your shop barry
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Wait till baldy has about 10-20 FOBT's at the racetrack and then the screaming will really start.
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That isn't permitted so won't happen.
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barry... the actual machine play stakes not money inserted must be around a £100K per shop per week
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There was already machines in Ladbrokes at Lingfield when i was last there.
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That is because the area where the machines are is licensed as a normal Ladbrokes betting shop and can have 4 machines as is the case at Wolves as well.
The racecourse licence doesn't allow the racecourses to have machines themselves. Having said that a few more tracks might follow suit when the 20% tax comes in as it makes them viable for all racecourses then. |
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At least they aren't addictive. Good job the Gambling Commission checked into it.
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It would bother me more if they looked into online betting as I suspect it would not be a pretty outcome.
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