A major victory for Church campaigners is expected this week when the government announces its review of fixed-odd betting terminals (FoBTs) — known as the 'crack cocaine' of betting.
Sports minister Tracey Crouch is thought to be set to reveal a set of proposals to reduce the maximum stake on FoBTs, a high speed roulette machine widely available in high-street betting shops where gamblers can wage £300 every minute.
The Church of England is among dozens of other campaigners to have fought against the highly addictive machines which proliferate in deprived boroughs.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is expected to publish its long-awaited review this week and will recommend slashing the maximum stake from £100 to either £50, or a figure between £10 and £30, or the £2 recommended by campaigners. A 12-week public consultation will follow the review after which the government will make a decision.
But the Bishop of St Albans, Dr Alan Smith, who has been a long-term advocate of stricter regulation, warned ministers on Monday against any option other than the £2 suggestion.
'I remain deeply concerned that if the Government recommends a higher maximum stake than £2, this will not go far enough to address the harm these machines cause to families and communities,' he told Christian Today. 'I will be responding to the Government's consultation.'
It comes after the Church of England made the unusual move of unanimously backing a motion calling for a £2 maximum stake on the machines. Noting the 'destructive impact' FoBTs have and the 'widespread public concern' about their availability on the high-street not just in highly regulated casino settings, the Church called for a drastic cut in the maximum stake as well as giving local authorities the power to dictate 'the number and location of such terminals in order to reduce the risk of harm to large numbers of vulnerable people'.
Bookmakers' income from the machines last year amounted to £1.8billion, which is more than half their total revenue and the Association of British Bookmakers warned curbing the maximum stake would cost 20,000 jobs. But they accept the days of £100 maximum stakes are over and the status quo is no longer an option so will consider a top bet of £50 a victory.
A reduction to £2 would see the Treasury lose £1billion in taxes by 2020 but Theresa May is understood personally to oppose the current regulation.
A Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson said: 'We are currently undertaking a review of the gambling sector focusing on stakes and prizes of machines, social responsibility within the industry and gambling advertising.
'The review will be published in the Autumn.'
