This quote does annoy me. The only reason it is becoming a problem for the high street is that the bookies have been allowed to expand at such a stupid unsustainable rate, all based on their profits from these FBT machines, as proven by them now scaremongering with the "we'll have to shut xxx branches now as they will become non-profitable"

I have seen a number of comments to the effect that people should be allowed to spend their money as they like and if people want to gamble they will find a way.

Whilst I am right wing and don't like the government interfering you do have to draw a line.

If you extend the logic of the argument why can't people legally buy heroin or hand guns or cyanide. Well if you are determined you can always find a way to buy that stuff. However government sets laws which reflect the broad opinion of most people. Its why we have licensing hours, parking restrictions and why we banned hand guns after Dunblane.

Restricting these machines may not curb problem gamblers but at least we are saying we don't approve of them. If cigarettes were invented today they would be banned and I suspect one day in the future they will be.

Society has to have some rules otherwise we have anarchy. Gun laws may not stop gun crime but what is the alternative you have to send a message.

As for the bookies as I mentioned in a previous post they have over expanded so they were also going to shed jobs now they can blame the government.

You sound like Gordon Gecho.

A tiny amount of people agree with your opinion, and most of them have a share in bookie profits or are employerd in a bookies opened to house 4 FOBT’s. They weren’t needed before and they aren’t now.

You cannot chase losses or waste your wages with nothing to show for it in minutes in a shopping addiction or any of the other problems you’ve mentioned.

You did. And the other fact is it will help some, hopefully many. The next target is online casinos.

God mate, you really are all heart. As I’ve said, good luck making this point of view in a real social gathering away from a desk or bar in the square mile.

Because chasing losses on a guaranteed losing machine is a big part of it. Or just that I believe and know that government has a responsibility to its citizens and not shareholders or people who believe it’s every man for himself and screw the weak.

Anybody that doesn’t give a shoit about anybody else will have to get used to them going because they are and good riddance.

Evidently.

You’ve brought in other high spending habits, and none of them are anything like spinning your wages away in the blink of an eye.

Society and conscience has everything to do with it because that’s why they’re going (down to £2 which reduces the financial damage to very little).

We either have a society that protects its own or we don’t. I know what I’d rather have.

And there’s a smoking restriction in almost every public place apart from the pavement so maybe we should remove those restrictions so people can smoke themselves to respiratory and heart disease and lung cancer.