In a debate in parliament this week, Labour’s motion to give local authorities powers to restrict the growth of fixed odds betting terminals, Category B2, was defeated.

William Hill

Following a debate on the subject in the House of Commons, during which Labour MP Clive Efford pressed the government on its policy towards FOBTs, the proposals were defeated by 314 to 232 votes.

Last month, opposition leader Ed Miliband promised that the next Labour government would pass legislation to enable councils to determine the number of machines in their areas.

During the debate on Wednesday, Efford claimed that the increasing revenue from FOBTs has encouraged bookmakers to open locations close to one another, creating clusters of betting shops within communities.

“Many people throughout the country are concerned about the impact of betting shops on their high streets,” he said. “They are worried that the shops are clustered in close proximity to one another and that they are too often close to communities with high levels of deprivation.

“We are not suggesting that there is a problem in every community, which is why we are not proposing that the government should introduce a blanket ban. Instead, we are calling for local councillors to be given real powers so that they are able to respond to the concerns of their local communities and to act responsibly in the interests of the people who elect them.”

In response, Culture Minister Helen Grant said that while she accepted that the future of B2 regulation is “unresolved,” the government’s policy on the matter should be “evidence-led.”

She called on the betting industry to provide the data “required for a proper understanding of the impact” of the machines.

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