...So, by applying the rules that govern SWP machines to those categorised as B2, one might conclude that if a B2 product looks like a gaming machine then it must be a gaming machine....
Comment P38
...we have to ask what will the arcades and adult gaming centres of 2015 look like without any investment in the product offering? My fear is that without capital investment in new games players will be lost to the industry for ever....
Essential Guide to Category C P12
INDUSTRY FOR OVER 30 YEARS
SERVING THE CALL THE MDM TEAM!
FOR ALL YOUR GAMING NEEDS
Mark Cardiff 029-20377402 Martin London 01268-820082 Steve London 07815-186921 Wilf Midlands 01283-544201 Rex S.West 01752-342589
May 20 - May 26, 2011 • No. 2212 •
www.coinslot.co.uk
or end to htmare’
ure for problem gambling has had
austerity, this attempt at empire building is extremely worrying; and it is vitally important that we guard against the growth of a monster that constantly calls for more and more money, bigger and bigger budgets, and more and more employees for a prob- lem that’s being tackled effec- tively by
organisations like
GamCare. On top of this, the RGF are funding eight Phd stu- dentships at an average of £20,000 per year to widen par- ticipation in gambling related research as a means of informing public policy. This is a prime example of the unfocussed nature of their research.” Asserting the call for change, the MP noted: “The structure that was put in place three years ago just isn’t working. There’s been time for it to prove itself and sadly it has failed. And I think most of the people involved in the industry would recognise
PHILIP DAVIES MP ADDRESSES A SPECIAL EVIDENCE COMMITTEE IN WESTMINSTER HALL
that. The answer to this conun- drum is threefold. Strip away the unnecessary levels of bureau- cracy; let those experts on the frontline who know how to help people in trouble get on with delivering and expanding exist- ing services; and put proper pro- grammes quickly in place to educate those most in need. “What the industry needs is
an effective body that makes good strategic decisions about risks and takes proportionate measures in terms of allocating funding to deal with problem gambling. The majority of the research should go to treatment providers and therefore there is no justified reason why Gam- Care should not remain as the principal treatment provider and operator of the National Helpline.”
legacy to be proud of
would do anything for his family. Nobody would say a bad word about him. He moved to Felixs- towe as a one-year-old, took over the business when his dad died, and now his two boys will take over and I know they will make him proud. He was quite a legend within the town. He had so many friends and not one enemy. He’s gone too soon but he went peacefully.” Manning’s sons, Charles Jnr and Jonathan, have been gradu- ally taking over the reins of the business between them and have promised to keep it going as their father’s lasting legacy to
the town.
Charles Jnr said: “We have had so many sympathy mes- sages and flowers with everyone saying what a great man he was and a great figure for Felixstowe. He was very work-driven, and he was very proud of what he did and very proud of the business. He looked after his staff very well. His greatest achievement was continuing the legacy of the amusements that our granddad started all those years ago.” The Manning family’s official notice, including funeral details, is published on Page 08 of this week’s issue.
www.mdmleisure.co.uk
Fairer Gambling Campaign questions regulator’s approach
PRIMARY PURPOSE Is the Gambling
Commission playing on a sticky wicket when issuing reminders about primary purpose? According to one industry observer, it might well be where LBOs are concerned.
T
he Gambling Commission can issue as many prem- ises reminders as it wishes,
but until they put the correct policing measures in place noth- ing will change. That is the warn- ing from gambling industry expert, inventor of Three-Card Poker, and manager of Prime Table Games, Derek Webb, following the Gambling Commission’s reminder about primary purpose for gambling premises. Aimed at premises that are fail- ing to comply with the regulator’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, the Gambling Commis- sion’s reminder warns operators that the primary gambling activ- ity they offer must reflect the nature of the business that they are licensed to carry out. Webb commented: “The Com- mission states that it is “closely monitoring”
and
they can have in the area. The Fairer Gambling Cam- paign, initiated by Webb, believes that betting companies are “exploiting loopholes in the cur- rent regulations to maximise prof- itability by increasing the number of high-speed gambling machines on the high street”. He adds that this “is leading to addicts and other vulnerable people being exploited by bookmakers”. Webb added: “Until now, this
problem has largely been ignored by the government, as it has been more concerned with keeping gambling businesses happy than with avoiding the potentially dev- astating social implications it could have on players. “We believe that these lame
duck premises reminders issued by the Gambling Commission are
“reviewing”
those operators who seem to be using gaming machines as their primary activity, but we’ve seen no evidence that it is ready to actu- ally do anything and until they start policing these establish- ments properly operators will continue to take advantage of the lax regulations.” The regulations currently allow betting shops to have a maximum of four betting machines per loca- tion in an attempt to keep over-the- counter business as the main activity. These machines are, how- ever, now providing many betting shops with well over half of their gross turnover. Webb claims that this has in-turn led to bookmakers opening multiple premises in close proximity to increase the number of money spinning machines that
A CAMPAIGNER ASKS
JUST WHAT IS A BOOKIE’S PRIMARY PURPOSE?
nothing more than lip service to the law, and until they change the legislation and regulate more stringently nothing will change.” The Fairer Gambling Campaign argues that gaming machines were never intended to be the pri- mary activity of betting shops, and so the damaging repercussions of these fast-moving,
high-risk
games have become the main Campaign focus. Webb’s assertions have arrived simultaneously with a high pro- file article in the Sunday Mirror last weekend which shows that the number of betting shops across the UK has grown by 16 per cent in the last two years. The number of LBOs, according to a survey conducted by the Local Data Company, has risen from 1,645 to 1,900.
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