Playing roulette with people’s lives: Hammond scraps a review on ‘crack cocaine’ betting machines… because they make millions for the taxman

‘A clampdown on betting machines labelled the ‘crack cocaine of gambling’ has been shelved following an intervention by Chancellor Philip Hammond.
Last year, ministers ordered a review of fixed-odds betting terminals, which are linked to addiction, family breakdown, debt and money laundering.
Gamblers can wager £100 every 20 seconds on machines featuring touchscreen, casino-style games such as roulette and bingo. They were responsible for 96 per cent of all losses over £1,000 in betting shops and arcades.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport wants to reduce the maximum stake on the machines to as little as £2.’
Read more: Playing roulette with people’s lives: Hammond scraps a review on ‘crack cocaine’ betting machines… because they make millions for the taxman