§ The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tessa Jowell)The Government have noted with concern the increasing installation in licensed betting offices of machines, described as fixed odds betting machines, which enable customers to play virtual casino games for prizes up to £50,000.
The present law allows only two gaming machines in any betting office, offering maximum prizes of £25. Under the Government's proposals for reform of the laws on gambling in Great Britain, published in "A safe bet for success" (Cm 5397), betting offices would be able to install up to four gaming machines with a maximum prize of £500. Cm 5397 also noted the appearance of betting machines, pointing out that they have many of the characteristics which justify controls over gaming machines.
The Government understand that the Gaming Board for Great Britain and the Association of British Bookmakers have agreed to the bringing of a test case to clarify the status of fixed odds betting machines under the existing law. While it would not be appropriate to comment on the merits or possible outcome of such legal proceedings, we welcome any action which will bring certainty to this issue so far as the present law is concerned.
In order to make the position on future legislation clear for interested parties, I wish to confirm that the statement set out in "A safe bet for success" remains the Government's current policy. Therefore, our current plan is to introduce new legislation which will be drafted in such a way that those betting machines which in reality involve gaming will be brought within the relevant controls for gaming machines. We take the view that the uncontrolled proliferation of high-prize machine gaming on the high street risks seriously increasing problem gambling.