Gaz Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Was going to post this in the gambling forum, but I figure that more people would read it on here. Liverpool City Council have voted to ban FOBTs in betting shops, as people are capable of losing hundreds of pounds within a few minutes. I think it's fantastic news. I'm all for people having a flutter if they want to, but these machines are designed to cause addiction, not a one-off punt on a horse or a football match - and in 20 years we'll look back at the amount of lives and families that have been ripped apart by problem gambling and wonder how successive governments made it so easy to do. Hopefully the next stop is to limit the over-proliferation of gambling adverts (games and sports) on television. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Joffrey Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 What's a FOBT? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 A Fixed Odds Betting Terminal. Pretty much an electronic casino. Betting shops are allowed a maximum of 4 in each shop. This is why you see a cluster of betting shops together (and often the same) chain, so that they can have more than 4 in each town. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~~~ Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 What's a FOBT? This You can barely turn on the TV these days without see an Ad for a bookies, its obscene plus the amount of things you can bet on, for instance who will win the coin toss, 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 This You can barely turn on the TV these days without see an Ad for a bookies, its obscene plus the amount of things you can bet on, for instance who will win the coin toss, I've seen the "who will win a coin toss" bet before. It's the easiest way to see how a bookie makes money. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy85 Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Out of interest what odds do they offer on the coin toss? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamboMikey Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Wonder what Steve Jennings makes of all this. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DA Baracus Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Or someone could simply not use the machines. Thought I'd get in there first. Addiction is a terrible and powerful thing. Much like the power of love, except you DO need credits card to ride on this train (addition, not love). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WullieBroonIsGod Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 This is fantastic news. These terminals are not designed for the occasional punter wanting a small wager on the afternoon's results. These are preying on people with a problem. Look in bookies up and down the land at guys stuffing tenner after tenner in these terminals, betting on a fake roulette spin. People these days have so much easy access to gambling at stakes that would make you sweat! Online casinos, FOBT's and the advertising is very prevalent if you are watching a sports channel with either Chris Kamara or Ray Winstone giving you the latest odds. A major epidemic waiting to happen 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 Out of interest what odds do they offer on the coin toss?At my work so can't check. Usually one outcome is slightly less than 0.5, and one slightly more than 0.5, but they only usually add up to 0.97 or 0.98 (when converted to decimal odds). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 This is fantastic news. These terminals are not designed for the occasional punter wanting a small wager on the afternoon's results. These are preying on people with a problem. Look in bookies up and down the land at guys stuffing tenner after tenner in these terminals, betting on a fake roulette spin. People these days have so much easy access to gambling at stakes that would make you sweat! Online casinos, FOBT's and the advertising is very prevalent if you are watching a sports channel with either Chris Kamara or Ray Winstone giving you the latest odds. A major epidemic waiting to happen The worst advert is the professional-looking couple (woman has long blonde hair, looks a bit dirty) gambling away on their phones / tablets whilst sat on the couch next to each other. As if the gambling industry are telling young, professional couples that "this is what you should be spending your evenings doing". 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 There's a really good Dispatches documentary on it here: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/videos/all/britains-high-street-gamble. The interesting side of it is that the gambling industry claim that they don't put bookies in areas of multiple social deprivation. There is one bookie in David Cameron's home town, tucked up a side alley. There are streets in towns with eleven or twelve bookies within a two-minute walk of each other. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monster Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I think this is a good thing, despite generally not being in favour of banning things. I've seen people lose a lot of money on these. Described as 'the crack cocaine of gambling' and with good cause. There's no coincidence that in most high streets where there are a proliferation of bookies there are also payday lender and pawnshops nearby. It's a serious problem for a lot of people. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~~~ Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I must admit, i've never gambled a penny in my life (not even the lottery) never seen the appeal 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryfield Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 No doubt the bookies will try to get the government involved. Guaranteed income for the treasury will not be easy to ban countrywide if other councils take the same steps. Puggies could be next if the bookies nightmare goes nationwide. I'm amazed that a 10p in the £1 gambling tax didn't come back in before folk with an extra bedroom got penalised. It's a funny old world. f**k up folk with little chance of changing their circumstances before putting a tax on folk who fling money around for pleasure, or the businesses that they throw their money at. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WullieBroonIsGod Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 The worst advert is the professional-looking couple (woman has long blonde hair, looks a bit dirty) gambling away on their phones / tablets whilst sat on the couch next to each other. As if the gambling industry are telling young, professional couples that "this is what you should be spending your evenings doing". Oh aye, I know that one. Even radio shows are now having things sponsored by betting companies, and even invite guests on to tell you the odds on the big games coming up. It's little things like this whilst listening to TALKshite on the way to work that adds up. I know people will start to bang on about personal responsibility, and I agree to an extent, but the authorities need to be looking at clamping down on this in your face advertising. Anyway, I am moving off topic here. FOBT's - awful cash cows for the bookie! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Thompson Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 There's a really good Dispatches documentary on it here: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/videos/all/britains-high-street-gamble. The interesting side of it is that the gambling industry claim that they don't put bookies in areas of multiple social deprivation. There is one bookie in David Cameron's home town, tucked up a side alley. There are streets in towns with eleven or twelve bookies within a two-minute walk of each other. Dumfries town centre is becoming like this. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsforlife Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 At my work so can't check. Usually one outcome is slightly less than 0.5, and one slightly more than 0.5, but they only usually add up to 0.97 or 0.98 (when converted to decimal odds). Are they not both slightly less? If not can you point be in the direction of the ones offering more than 0.5 sounds like free money. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 Are they not both slightly less? If not can you point be in the direction of the ones offering more than 0.5 sounds like free money.I am an idiot. Of course both would be less. It's been a long day! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I'm not really a fan of banning things either but all for this. I think banning gambling advertising would be something I would approve of too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.