Fixed Odds Betting Terminals

Debate between Baroness Coffey and Helen Grant

Wednesday 8th January 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Grant]

I will not get involved in such arguments, but I will say that the Responsible Gambling Trust does good work and is a reputable organisation. I look forward to receiving this important piece of work from it later this year.

[Dr Thérèse Coffey]

In December, the public health survey looked at this issue for the first time. It stated:

“Among both men and women, there was no difference in gambling prevalence by area deprivation, once age was accounted for.”

That was true except among people in the most deprived quintile of the index of multiple deprivation, who were more likely to participate in bingo. There is further analysis relating to FOBTs and quintile four. However, the most recent data that we have show that, in essence, there is no difference by area.

[Mrs Grant]

That is an interesting and important point, and I believe that that piece of work also indicated that levels of problem gambling had fallen from just below 1% to just below 0.5%. Notwithstanding the drop in the number of problem gamblers, the Government are concerned about any level of problem gambling and will, of course, urge the industry—as we are doing—to make real and proper progress on that matter.