Decision details

Councillor Smart proposed and Councillor Ratcliffe seconded the following motion: 

This Council notes the following points.

Evidence shows that Fixed Odds Betting Terminals are one of the most addictive forms of gambling available to Cambridge residents. Casework from worried residents has already caused Daniel Zeichner MP to call for action to lower the maximum bet to £2.

There are 64 Fixed Odds Betting Terminals in Cambridge in 16 betting shops. The legal maximum is four terminals per shop and every shop has the maximum.

It is possible to bet up to £100 every 20 seconds on a Fixed Odds Betting Terminal, making payment with cash or a card.

Because more than 80% of money spent in betting shops comes from Fixed Odds Betting Terminals the gambling industry lobbies, supports and promotes their continued usage.

Over the past decade the amount of money lost on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals in the UK has doubled to £2bn per year and continues to grow.

The government appointed industry regulator, the Gambling Commission, has continued to allow Fixed Odds Betting Terminals to be increasingly used whilst at the same time the government receives £400m every year in betting duty tax from this form of gambling, and indeed, has increased the percentage of tax. 

Daniel Zeichner MP and many others have called for the maximum bet to be set at £2 on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals. This, together with a package of other sensible measures, would at least help to limit the damage done to the lives of vulnerable people, to their families and friends; indeed to society as a whole.

This Council believes that the maximum bet should be set at no higher than £2 for every 20 seconds of use of a Fixed Odds Betting Terminal.

This Council requests that the Leader will write to the following.

The Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to call for the maximum bet on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals be set at £2.

The Chair of the Gambling Commission and the interim Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission to call for the maximum bet on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals be set at £2.

The two Cambridge MP’s, Daniel Zeichner MP to support him in his resolve to champion this issue, and to Heidi Allen MP to ask her to put pressure on government to call for the maximum bet on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals be set at £2.

Resolved (unanimously) to support the motion.