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Entain, the owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, has written to Burnham saying it would have to make job cuts across its nationwide estate of 2,300 shops, were the policy to go ahead. Casinos and bingo halls are in the firing line too. Rank Group, which owns Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casinos, cautioned that a third of its venues could close, affecting 2,000 staff.
Last year, AGCs managed to increase their takings from £528m to £613m by packing more machines into larger venues.
So if slot machines taxes go up, in theory AGCs are best placed to survive the impact. The AGC operator Merkur has already offered to buy some of the 132 shops that Betfred put up for sale, indicating it is unruffled by the prospect of a tax rise. If others follow suit, just as bookies retrench, an MGD rise could simply lead to bookies being replaced by 24-hour slot farms.
As Treasury officials weigh up duty rises, they will have to consider the law of unintended consequences.
https://www.racingpost.com/news/opinion/comment/another-tax-rise-looms-but-it-wont-get-rid-of-the-slots-it-will-just-hand-the-high-street-to-the-arcades-aEHgj3B0pMys/
Last year, AGCs managed to increase their takings from £528m to £613m by packing more machines into larger venues.
So if slot machines taxes go up, in theory AGCs are best placed to survive the impact. The AGC operator Merkur has already offered to buy some of the 132 shops that Betfred put up for sale, indicating it is unruffled by the prospect of a tax rise. If others follow suit, just as bookies retrench, an MGD rise could simply lead to bookies being replaced by 24-hour slot farms.
As Treasury officials weigh up duty rises, they will have to consider the law of unintended consequences.
https://www.racingpost.com/news/opinion/comment/another-tax-rise-looms-but-it-wont-get-rid-of-the-slots-it-will-just-hand-the-high-street-to-the-arcades-aEHgj3B0pMys/
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I left at 4 today what the fobts made today would not pay for 4 for breakfast at the Ivy otc 150 bets for 600 quid.
Very very sat .
Ronnie.
Very very sat .
Ronnie.
if tax doubles thousands of betting offices close thousands of AGC's open share price goes down ? ( because of the tax ) bit of an opportunity ? ( not my area of expertise )
Would you accept a £500 bet on horse, golfer or any other sport at 6/1, Ronnie without having to make a call & what would the likely answer be?
Chewy.
A 500 bet would not through the till it would be blocked and unblocked after ptl had looked at it.
Hope you are well.
Ronnie.
A 500 bet would not through the till it would be blocked and unblocked after ptl had looked at it.
Hope you are well.
Ronnie.
shops seem very busy midday
beyond me that there open till 9 at night, no one in them after 5pm
beyond me that there open till 9 at night, no one in them after 5pm
Not sure what that means, Ronnie.
I'm not havingh a laugh, Busy. I've not had a bet in shop in years so I wouldn't know. I suspect the answer is, it would get refused.
I feel sory for the employees that will lose their jobs if the shops close. It's a bit like an Off Licence not selling Beer & Cider only Wine & Chanpagne & complaining they've no sales, from the companies.
I'm not havingh a laugh, Busy. I've not had a bet in shop in years so I wouldn't know. I suspect the answer is, it would get refused.
I feel sory for the employees that will lose their jobs if the shops close. It's a bit like an Off Licence not selling Beer & Cider only Wine & Chanpagne & complaining they've no sales, from the companies.
Racing's funding crisis won't play well with the government if Andy Burnham reads the Racing Post's coverage of multi-million guineas purchases at Tattersalls this week. Crisis, what crisis?
that is entirley separate and bears no relation to reality. which makes it a just like crash n burnhams incoming calamity, after the starmer drama
he wouldnt ever read it himself but one of the bugtank might bring it up as an example of obscene, disgusting, etc.....
the head towelhead brute spunking the states noney for his own pleasure must delight the camel herders in the gold-plated khazi
he wouldnt ever read it himself but one of the bugtank might bring it up as an example of obscene, disgusting, etc.....
the head towelhead brute spunking the states noney for his own pleasure must delight the camel herders in the gold-plated khazi
Most of the betting these days is done online. I can also understand the importance of the high street betting shops for some punters outside betting, and is getting a bad press from non-gamblers and some politicians including PM Burnham I do not think it's correct to group them alongside vape shops and other gaming shops.
I believe the betting shops without the fobt machines will be accepted on the high street and society including yours truly. Without fobt machines the shops will also get a better press, and old-fashined punters would return too. The fobt players are a massive put-off for some of this group of punters. I'm one.
The ball is in the court of the betting shop owners - not the government. In some ways I'm glad there's a drop in the sponsorship of races by the bookies. I hope other non-betting entities could take up this slack vacated by bookies.
I believe the betting shops without the fobt machines will be accepted on the high street and society including yours truly. Without fobt machines the shops will also get a better press, and old-fashined punters would return too. The fobt players are a massive put-off for some of this group of punters. I'm one.
The ball is in the court of the betting shop owners - not the government. In some ways I'm glad there's a drop in the sponsorship of races by the bookies. I hope other non-betting entities could take up this slack vacated by bookies.
Having no machines in the betting shops would have seen them practically wiped out well before now.
If you believe they would survive without the guaranteed income derived from the fo00king things, you're very mistaken.
If you believe they would survive without the guaranteed income derived from the fo00king things, you're very mistaken.
I'd let them serve alcohol. Mini sports bars. Grown-ups are allowed to drink and allowed to bet after all. I vaguely remember they had live numbers games in pubs back in the 90s. Don't recall all carnage breaking lose back then. It would certainly give them a chance to survive. Won't happen under this government.
I'd not want high street bookies to serve alcohol of any kind. There are many other outlets doing that already eg pubs, corner shops, restaurants and supermarkets. I do not want to see one ill being eradicated, and another to flourish; cafes do not serve alcoholic drinks either why should bookies?
Bookies ought to do what they are licensed to do eg take bets. At the moment bets are being restricted, and bookies are operating as casinos on the high street. Some major and very successful countries do not permit gambling in public let alone fobt machines. Even our closest neighbour, Ireland, have banned fobt machines several decades ago.
I'd like to see every fobt machine removed immediately. The bookies will need to adjust accordingly and be creative. I understand there will be the inevitable job losses. This is always likely whenever there's a change in consumer sentiment and government policy. This is not bookie specific.
As they are bookies are not providing a service one can get online. Their head honchos will need to 'cut the cloth to suit' and start to earn their renumerations for a change. The golden goose is dying like the horseracing in the UK. As it's the bookies will not be missed on the high street streets.
Bookies ought to do what they are licensed to do eg take bets. At the moment bets are being restricted, and bookies are operating as casinos on the high street. Some major and very successful countries do not permit gambling in public let alone fobt machines. Even our closest neighbour, Ireland, have banned fobt machines several decades ago.
I'd like to see every fobt machine removed immediately. The bookies will need to adjust accordingly and be creative. I understand there will be the inevitable job losses. This is always likely whenever there's a change in consumer sentiment and government policy. This is not bookie specific.
As they are bookies are not providing a service one can get online. Their head honchos will need to 'cut the cloth to suit' and start to earn their renumerations for a change. The golden goose is dying like the horseracing in the UK. As it's the bookies will not be missed on the high street streets.
wasnt there a big increase in sponsorship for the derby last yr ?
so isnt their bound to be a drop off in lasrt 12 months
so isnt their bound to be a drop off in lasrt 12 months
If nearly all betting shops close will there be more money on here ? Maybe a bit.
" cafes do not serve alcoholic drinks either why should bookies?" maybe cos bookies have a minimum age in place.
yep having seen people kicking the fook out of FOBT,s 1st thing that struck me was these lot hould be sold pints of lager whilst their doing it
just got back from filling the car up,bloke next to me in PUMP 3 put a tenners worth in, i said jesus mate where you hoping to get to with that ?
he shouted back PUMP 4
he shouted back PUMP 4
The combination of alcohol and gambling is a very dangerous recipe. These two components cannot and must not mix. Add in emotion something truly bad is almost guaranteed. Probably this is why gambling in a pub is not legalised.
Howard, it's extremely common for cafes or coffee shops to sell wine, beer & cider etc.
It is round my parts anyway.
It is round my parts anyway.
"...and old fashioned punters would return too."
Impossible, you must be joking.
Once our generation have departed from this mortal coil there will be nobody to replace us. 20 somethings and above are only interested in a jolly up at a racetrack and corporate hospitality. Being in a betting shop doing a placepot or a L15 is not on their radar at all.
Impossible, you must be joking.
Once our generation have departed from this mortal coil there will be nobody to replace us. 20 somethings and above are only interested in a jolly up at a racetrack and corporate hospitality. Being in a betting shop doing a placepot or a L15 is not on their radar at all.
Implausible is a fisherman. Fair play, he puts a lot of effort into it.
'SlippyBlue', by cafes I meant greasy spoons not wine bars. I might go to a high street bookie if management was a bit more well-coming rather than looking at me suspiciously as if I'd be a plant from head office, a 'known' face, etc, even when I was not there to use the toilet.
haven't they got trouble in aussie pubs where they can bet into track pools ?
In this day and age they should allow alcohol in bingo halls and on the racecourse.
Our Andy would say the whole bangshoot of gambling,alcohol,bingo halls is haram and London mayor would agree with him.
impossible, have you never been in a casino?
They are, of course, centrally about gambling and they also sell plenty of alcohol that people consume (sometimes a lot) while they gamble!
They are, of course, centrally about gambling and they also sell plenty of alcohol that people consume (sometimes a lot) while they gamble!
I'd been to many, far too many up and down the country a long time ago. Then I was indirectly responsible for the transport of the individuals on behalf of a government quango to visit out-of-town casinos unannounced. Everything was pretty secretive. I'd to wait till it was all over.
But you get the point though? Gambling and alcohol have long been permitted together in casinos.
I did not see any alcohol being served in the 80's eg Stanley or Sergeant York. The soft drinks, juice and hot chocolate were free every night, and food was freed on certain nights for the Chinese punters. It may have changed now., then there was no alcohol.
we joined the draganora in boro 35/40 yrs ago ,purely so we could go and watch MOTD after night on town.never ever played tables,but we did did get free toasted sarnies but deffo no alcohol
I'd been to the one in Middlesborough, Newcastle, Aberdeen (the fish was so fresh), Edinburgh, Glasgow, Yarmouth, Brighton, Hove, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Birmingham, Manchester, Leicester, Bristol, Cardiff, Sunderland (I remembered driving past the dog track), Blackpool, Bournemouth, Northampton and many more. None in London. And, no alcohol was served.
The disgraceful bookies are ushering out their ground floor staff ie high street bookie staff to try and plea to the government about the impending doubling hike for machine games duty (mgd) when their highly paid head honchos are unable to.
It's so simple. Just give up fobt (machines) and start to take sporting bets. If this is still not viable close the uneconomic betting shops. The shops are a surplus to requirement ie a 'case of supply and demand'.
Fobt are the scourge of betting. Fobt also attracts criminality and is responsible for social disharmony and the misuse of the nhs and legal fraternity. If fobt is removed from the hign street bookies I'm sure the government will react positively.
It's so simple. Just give up fobt (machines) and start to take sporting bets. If this is still not viable close the uneconomic betting shops. The shops are a surplus to requirement ie a 'case of supply and demand'.
Fobt are the scourge of betting. Fobt also attracts criminality and is responsible for social disharmony and the misuse of the nhs and legal fraternity. If fobt is removed from the hign street bookies I'm sure the government will react positively.
Not now. The high street is inaccessible at the moment after a deluge of precipitation. A shared helicopter ride from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon is recommended.
Agree, as others have pointed out here and before, about the choice to rely on FOBT or slot machines, for survival. Their business choice no-one elses.
That's tragic. I hope an accident inquiry to determine what the cause was is thorough. I think the heli ride is quite popular with tourists to Vegas.
I've been on one of these. There are dozens of these trips per day so one accident in 2018 shouldn't put anyone off in my opinion. It's an awesome spectacle, plus the fly back over the strip.
Would a drone be operated from a hotel in Vegas to the Grand canyon? There would be no risk involved this way.
Oct 13, 2026 -- 4:57PM, impossible123 wrote:
Would a drone be operated from a hotel in Vegas to the Grand canyon? There would be no risk involved this way.
A non-passenger drone ?
Oct 13, 2026 -- 4:56PM, The Leopard wrote:
Could just watch a video...you only have 1 life
Or just stay inside your house 24/7 and experience your whole life via google maps. 
Do you vote Lib Dem by any chance?
AI Assistant reckons :
The chances of your helicopter crashing during a Las Vegas tour are incredibly low.
Statistically, your risk of a fatality on a commercial air tour is estimated to be roughly 0.05 deaths per 100,000 passengers, which translates to a microscopic 0.0005% chance.
How Safe Are the Tours?
To put the numbers into perspective, you are far more likely to get into a serious car accident driving to the airport than you are to crash during the flight.
Across the hundreds of thousands of tourists who take scenic flights over the Las Vegas Strip, Hoover Dam, and the Grand Canyon every year, accidents are rare anomalies.
According to broader National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) data, commercial helicopters average about 3.92 accidents per 100,000 flight hours, with a fatal accident rate of 0.69 per 100,000 hours.
Because the typical Las Vegas or Grand Canyon flight lasts between 30 to 90 minutes, your individual risk per flight is a small fraction of that hourly rate.
The chances of your helicopter crashing during a Las Vegas tour are incredibly low.
Statistically, your risk of a fatality on a commercial air tour is estimated to be roughly 0.05 deaths per 100,000 passengers, which translates to a microscopic 0.0005% chance.
How Safe Are the Tours?
To put the numbers into perspective, you are far more likely to get into a serious car accident driving to the airport than you are to crash during the flight.
Across the hundreds of thousands of tourists who take scenic flights over the Las Vegas Strip, Hoover Dam, and the Grand Canyon every year, accidents are rare anomalies.
According to broader National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) data, commercial helicopters average about 3.92 accidents per 100,000 flight hours, with a fatal accident rate of 0.69 per 100,000 hours.
Because the typical Las Vegas or Grand Canyon flight lasts between 30 to 90 minutes, your individual risk per flight is a small fraction of that hourly rate.
Oct 13, 2026 -- 5:05PM, jamee1 wrote:
Oct 13, 2026 -- 4:56PM, The Leopard wrote:Could just watch a video...you only have 1 lifeOr just stay inside your house 24/7 and experience your whole life via google maps. Do you vote Lib Dem by any chance?
Labour Party for me (The good guys ! )
The leopard.
It is amazing how much you can do in in such a small time at 2 quid a spin.
Hope you are well.
Ronnie.
It is amazing how much you can do in in such a small time at 2 quid a spin.
Hope you are well.
Ronnie.
You put 2 spaces after the word "The" ...that cases a glitch I think....so Mesmerised says and I lost my post...
Sorry, for delayed response, I have just been working out a way to dictate to my desktop because it's internal microphone seems to be not working ... I have found a way using my iPhone as a mic (using continuity camera)
I said :
I have never played FOBT's and I never will.
I'm feeling a lot better after quite a difficult previous 12 months...how about yourself ?
Sorry, for delayed response, I have just been working out a way to dictate to my desktop because it's internal microphone seems to be not working ... I have found a way using my iPhone as a mic (using continuity camera)
I said :
I have never played FOBT's and I never will.
I'm feeling a lot better after quite a difficult previous 12 months...how about yourself ?
of course I could have just opened the forum on my iPhone and it is easy to dictate a post as I am doing now
Apple messed up the microphone when they repaired a failed hard disk...last time I took it in to White city, Shepherds Bush.... it was working fine before I had the repair.
The leopard.
Its been a tough year lost my dad and the wife has had breast cancer sorry you have had a bad year hope it improves for you.
Ronnie.
Its been a tough year lost my dad and the wife has had breast cancer sorry you have had a bad year hope it improves for you.
Ronnie.
I do not know what your ailment is. I hope you feel more comfortable each. Yes, I do mean a non-passenger drone. I think it's considerably safer on a heli than a driver-less taxi.
@Ronnie sorry to hear that.... hope any treatment is successful for her.... my wife had a non malignant tumour taken out from her breast… I lost my dad in 2019 and my mum in 2018.... in the last year have had some serious problems with another family member.
@impossible123 I am physically fine except for a blocked nose which I have had for two years and have not been able to smell anything.... going to get it sorted out soon hopefully…… my problems stem from another family member
so you are talking about a drone with a camera on and people could watch live video from the drone in their hotel rooms?
@impossible123 I am physically fine except for a blocked nose which I have had for two years and have not been able to smell anything.... going to get it sorted out soon hopefully…… my problems stem from another family member
so you are talking about a drone with a camera on and people could watch live video from the drone in their hotel rooms?
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