- The Guardian,
- Wednesday July 18 2001
The independent review by the former chief economic adviser to the Treasury, Sir Alan Budd, yesterday recommended lifting many restrictions on casinos, betting shops and bingo halls, liberalising online gambling and allowing betting shop punters to gamble on the national lottery numbers.
But the plans include tighter restrictions on gambling by those under 18, and the removal of fruit machines from cafes, taxicab offices and fish and chip shops as well as a 10p limit on stakes on amusement machines in family entertainment centres.
Sir Alan acknowledged that his proposals could add to the 400,000 problem gamblers in Britain but said he believed that gambling was an enjoyable and predominantly harmless leisure activity for adults.
"We are proposing a balanced package of reforms which simplify regulation, provide increased choice for adults in a more competitive market, and reduce opportunities for gambling by young people," he said.
"The case for regulating gambling has to be justified. Our proposals generally move in the direction of allowing greater freedom for the individual to gamble."
The review does draw the line at allowing alcohol to be served in betting shops or betting in pubs. It also recommends more research and funding to tackle the increase in problem gamblers and other vulnerable people.
If the government accepts the Budd report it would lead to the first big shake-up of the gaming laws since 1968 when a clampdown was introduced on corruption and money laundering in Mayfair casinos.
The proposals include a "punter's charter" which would see much stricter licensing by a new gambling commission of bookmakers and those who work for them, full information on the true odds involved in betting, changing the law to make gambling debts enforceable and abolishing the "palpable error" rule which some bookmakers use to avoid paying out on bets. New rules would ensure bookmakers were "fit and proper persons".
Perhaps the biggest impact would be on Britain's casino industry. The report proposes sweeping away rules such as the need to wait 24 hours before a new member can use a casino or bingo hall. It wants to lift the ban on advertising and on alcohol being served on the gaming floor, introduce unlimited prize slot machines and live entertainment into casinos and permit credit cards to be used for gambling.
In particular it would sweep away the "demand test" for betting shops, bingo halls and casinos and the "permitted areas" rule which restricts the number of casinos in any one town. Twenty four hour opening would be allowed subject to local authority approval.
Sir Alan confirmed his package would allow Las Vegas style resort casinos in Britain. But he said Blackpool's demand that it should be granted a monopoly in this new business was not a question for his review.
The gaming industry gave a warm welcome to the report and Ms Jowell said laws failed to reflect how gambling had become an everyday part of the lives of millions of people.
"But parents have a right to expect that their children will be protected by the law," she added. "So now I want to hear from the public: how do we get the balance right?"
The Methodist church last night said the gaming industry would need to recognise new responsibilities as well as freedoms. Tough regulation would always be needed.
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