Bacta Frustrated As Slots Rule Change Delayed By Govt
The government has paused its plans to change the UK’s rules on high street slot machines, leading to frustration for the industry.
Slot machine rules were due to be updated by the Labour government. © Erik Mclean, Unsplash
Key Facts:
- Adult gaming centres (AGCs) in the UK were expected to be the subject of new regulations
- Plans to allow higher stakes have been delayed by government
- The arcades trade body, Bacta, has aired its frustrations
- But ex-Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith backs the pause
Labour made regulation of the gambling industry one of the promises it made ahead of last year’s victory in the general election.
But its focus so far has been largely on internet-based betting, rolling out a new statutory gambling levy for online operators as well as introducing new slot stake limits online.
AGCs were expected to be given the green light by the government to install more higher-stakes machines, but these plans have been delayed.
Current regulations state that no more than 20% of the terminals in AGC locations such as arcades and bingo premises can be category B3.
This is a class of slot machine allowing stakes of up to £2, with prizes being capped at £500.
80/20 Rule To Stay
Known as the 80/20 rule, the regulations are not going to be changing any time soon after the government confirmed the current rules are staying as they are.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport previously said that the government was mulling over a new 50/50 ratio, while getting rid of the 80/20 rule was also under consideration.
Operators have complained that the rule stifles growth and claimed most players simply ignore the low-stakes machines in favour of games with fewer restrictions on their betting.
Arcades trade body Bacta is among the industry organisations to have hoped for a change
John Bollom, Bacta’s president, said: “We are frustrated with the delay in resolving the 80/20 issue, which was a key modernising proposal in the gambling white paper, but we remain hopeful that we will see the same progress as other sectors; and that when the minister looks again she will see this reform for what it is – common sense, safe for players and good for our ailing high streets.”
Insufficient Protections
Political figures have backed the government’s plans to retain the current AGC rules, though.
Former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith, now an outspoken critic of the gambling industry, says relaxing regulations for AGCs would be unwise.
He told the Guardian newspaper: “Given the insufficient protections in place for people in these venues and the addictive nature of these machines, increasing their numbers should be ruled out entirely and the current widespread breaches of regulations by AGCs, which are now proliferating on our high streets, must be urgently looked into.”
Councils and city majors including Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, recently sent the government a letter requesting new powers to block the rise of betting shops on high streets in the UK.
And other politicians have called for rules on AGCs and high street slot machines to be tightened, rather than being relaxed to allow more high-stakes games.
Dr Beccy Cooper, the Labour MP for Worthing West, said: “Local councils also need more powers to enable them to restrict the number of gambling outlets in local communities to prevent gambling harms.”
