Bookmakers Pull new Games After Gambling Commission Warning
Bookmakers pull brand-new games after Gambling Commission warning
2 April 2019
Two leading UK bookmakers have actually pulled new high stakes wagering video games after a warning from the Gambling Commission.
Paddy Power and Betfred dealt with criticism their roulette-style video games weakened new guidelines on fixed-odds betting.
The maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals was today cut from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2, and the regulator warned versus any efforts to circumvent the rules.
Betfred said it desired more talks with the commission, while Paddy Power said its video game was only a limited trial.
The ₤ 2 cap on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) was recommended by the Gambling Commission in March last year and is backed by the federal government as part of efforts to minimize gambling-related harm.
The Betfred video game included 2 bicyclists on a screen in shops racing on a velodrome track with numbers on it. When the cyclist at the rear captures the one in front, the number they are on is the winning number.
The numbers are 1 to 36, mirroring those on a live roulette wheel, and other bets can be put on odd or perhaps numbers, colours, rows and columns. Customers could wager as much as ₤ 500.
Paddy Power's game, with an optimum stake of ₤ 100 - the level before this week's FOBT rule-change - likewise involved wagering on numbers between 1 and 36.
A Paddy Power spokesperson said: "This game was introduced as part of a short trial in a choice of stores. The trial was ceased within 24 hours of commencement and this item will not be launched across our estate."
Act responsibly
Ahead of the commission's intervention, both companies drew fire from critics. Shadow culture minister Tom Watson explained them as "FOBTs through the back door".
Bookmakers pull brand-new games after Gambling Commission warning
2 April 2019
Two leading UK bookmakers have actually pulled new high stakes wagering video games after a warning from the Gambling Commission.
Paddy Power and Betfred dealt with criticism their roulette-style video games weakened new guidelines on fixed-odds betting.
The maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals was today cut from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2, and the regulator warned versus any efforts to circumvent the rules.
Betfred said it desired more talks with the commission, while Paddy Power said its video game was only a limited trial.
The ₤ 2 cap on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) was recommended by the Gambling Commission in March last year and is backed by the federal government as part of efforts to minimize gambling-related harm.
The Betfred video game included 2 bicyclists on a screen in shops racing on a velodrome track with numbers on it. When the cyclist at the rear captures the one in front, the number they are on is the winning number.
The numbers are 1 to 36, mirroring those on a live roulette wheel, and other bets can be put on odd or perhaps numbers, colours, rows and columns. Customers could wager as much as ₤ 500.
Paddy Power's game, with an optimum stake of ₤ 100 - the level before this week's FOBT rule-change - likewise involved wagering on numbers between 1 and 36.
A Paddy Power spokesperson said: "This game was introduced as part of a short trial in a choice of stores. The trial was ceased within 24 hours of commencement and this item will not be launched across our estate."
Act responsibly
Ahead of the commission's intervention, both companies drew fire from critics. Shadow culture minister Tom Watson explained them as "FOBTs through the back door".