On 11th March 2016 the House of Lords considered at Second Reading the Gambling (Categorisation and Use of B2 Gaming Machines) Bill [HL] – a Private Member’s Bill introduced by Lord Clement Jones. Introducing the Bill, Lord Clement Jones said
“Fixed-odds betting terminals—FOBTs—are touch-screen roulette machines in betting shops that allow the user to bet up to £100 every 20-second spin. It is clear that the experiment to allow high-speed roulette in easily accessible betting shops has been a disaster..The essence of my Bill is to reduce the stake to £2 a spin.”
The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, spoke in support of the Bill.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, for taking forward the Bill, which I support. It enables us to have an opportunity to discuss an area of deep concern to many people on all sides of the House. There is little doubt that B2 gaming machines can be very addictive, which is why, for well over a decade now, successive Governments have talked tough about regulating them, although it seems to me that regulation is not tough enough. This modest Bill is immensely helpful. Continue reading “Gambling Bill: Bishop of St Albans supports move to regulate fixed odds betting terminals”
The Church of England in Parliament 
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