BACTA continued its push for a regulatory level playing field at the Houses of Parliament last week with more than 90 members coming from all over the country to lobby their local MPs for change in the gambling regulations.
BACTA is pushing for an early stake and prize review for machine categories B3, C and D and also to review the ratios of Category B3 machines to C and D machines in bingo clubs and adult gaming centres, rather than imposing a fixed limit of four B3s per premises regardless of the size of the facility.
Among the MPs to speak at BACTA's lobby day was Tobias Ellwood, the Conservative's shadow minister for culture, media and sport, and he was fully supportive of the industry's efforts to affect change.
He commented: "When there are changes that take place, they must be fair across the board. I for one do not understand why the stakes were reduced from £2 down to £1 in adult gaming centres. I don't understand why B3 machines were limited to four per location. That doesn't make sense. There is no logic as to why a venue with 150 slot machines is limited to four category B machines while another venue with just 12 machines is also limited to four. We are looking at this very, very carefully and we will be making some major changes when the Conservatives get in power in two years time."
Unfortunately, many BACTA members feel that the industry can not wait that long as they felt that many of the people attending the Lobby Day may not be in business in two years' time. What we need is a decision made on current evidence otherwise in six months time many gaming centres may well have closed.
Tobias Ellwood reflected on the urgency for change conveyed to him and added that his party was also looking at the bingo industry's VAT issue and at the continuing growth in FOBTs, now Category B2 machines, in betting shops.
The Conservative party has asked for additional studies to take place with more focused studies on topics such as FOBTs directly following the analysis of the 2007 Prevalence Study. They want to make sure that enough people are asked their views to be certain on the direction of problem gambling.
Tobias Ellwood said that he perceived gambling in AGCs as the softer end of gambling compared to what was available in betting shops and that he didn't want to see people forced into harder forms of gambling. "FOBTs aren't going to go away but they are causing change to what is available on our high street. There needs to be choice on the high street," he said.
According to Tobias, the Conservatives are supportive of gambling industry in general 'as long as there is a correct level of regulation for whatever gambling taking place'. He commented: "There must be a safety net to capture those people who move from situation of seeing gambling as some form of entertainment, where you are likely to lose, to some form of investment where you are likely to win." It is up to the BACTA members individually to get more MP’s thinking along the same lines.
Remember ‘BACTA’s strength is the commitment of its members to unite and constructively take their issues forward.’
