Bookmakers Pull new Games After Gambling Commission Warning
Bookmakers pull brand-new video games after Gambling Commission alerting
2 April 2019
Two leading UK bookmakers have pulled brand-new high stakes wagering video games after a warning from the Gambling Commission.
Paddy Power and Betfred dealt with criticism their roulette-style games undermined brand-new rules on fixed-odds betting.
The optimum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals was today cut from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2, and the regulator cautioned against any efforts to circumvent the rules.
Betfred said it wanted more talks with the commission, while Paddy Power stated its game was just a restricted trial.
The ₤ 2 cap on fixed-odds wagering terminals (FOBTs) was advised by the Gambling Commission in March last year and is backed by the government as part of efforts to minimize gambling-related harm.
The Betfred game involved two cyclists on a screen in stores racing on a velodrome track with numbers on it. When the bicyclist at the rear captures the one in front, the number they are on is the winning number.
The numbers are 1 to 36, mirroring those on a live roulette wheel, and other bets can be put on odd or even numbers, colours, rows and columns. Customers might bet up to ₤ 500.
Paddy Power's video game, with a maximum stake of ₤ 100 - the level before this week's FOBT rule-change - likewise included banking on numbers in between 1 and 36.
A Paddy Power spokesman said: "This game was introduced as part of a brief trial in a choice of stores. The trial was ceased within 24 hours of beginning and this product will not be released across our estate."
Act properly
Ahead of the commission's intervention, both firms drew fire from critics. Shadow culture minister Tom Watson described them as "FOBTs through the back entrance".
Bookmakers pull brand-new video games after Gambling Commission alerting
2 April 2019
Two leading UK bookmakers have pulled brand-new high stakes wagering video games after a warning from the Gambling Commission.
Paddy Power and Betfred dealt with criticism their roulette-style games undermined brand-new rules on fixed-odds betting.
The optimum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals was today cut from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2, and the regulator cautioned against any efforts to circumvent the rules.
Betfred said it wanted more talks with the commission, while Paddy Power stated its game was just a restricted trial.
The ₤ 2 cap on fixed-odds wagering terminals (FOBTs) was advised by the Gambling Commission in March last year and is backed by the government as part of efforts to minimize gambling-related harm.
The Betfred game involved two cyclists on a screen in stores racing on a velodrome track with numbers on it. When the bicyclist at the rear captures the one in front, the number they are on is the winning number.
The numbers are 1 to 36, mirroring those on a live roulette wheel, and other bets can be put on odd or even numbers, colours, rows and columns. Customers might bet up to ₤ 500.
Paddy Power's video game, with a maximum stake of ₤ 100 - the level before this week's FOBT rule-change - likewise included banking on numbers in between 1 and 36.
A Paddy Power spokesman said: "This game was introduced as part of a brief trial in a choice of stores. The trial was ceased within 24 hours of beginning and this product will not be released across our estate."
Act properly
Ahead of the commission's intervention, both firms drew fire from critics. Shadow culture minister Tom Watson described them as "FOBTs through the back entrance".