Tag: gambling

Policing and Crime Bill: Bishop of Southwark responds

On 18th July the House of Lords considered the Government’s Policing and Crime Bill at its Second Reading. The Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, spoke in the debate, focusing on proposals for police reform, gambling, mental health and young people.

SouthwarkThe Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I congratulate Ministers and their officials on bringing forward such a large Bill in so orderly a fashion. This is a Bill of nine parts; even Gaul was only divided into three. I hope your Lordships will forgive me if I make a number of points from so varied a terrain.

While the Bill addresses licensed premises for the sale of alcohol, we have no mention in it of other licensed premises, which are also vulnerable to criminal activity. We know from freedom of information requests reported in the press that from 2013 to 2014 there was a 20% rise in the number of police call-outs to betting shops. The right reverend Prelate the Bishop of St Albans, who wished to attend this debate, himself submitted a freedom of information request recently to the Gambling Commission, which reveals a 68% rise in reports of violence against the person at London betting shops over the last five years. Continue reading “Policing and Crime Bill: Bishop of Southwark responds”

Bishop of St Albans’ Bill on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals Introduced to Lords

BettingBill2016On Monday 13th June 2016 the Betting Licences (Category B2 Gaming Machines) Bill [HL] was introduced to the House of Lords and had its formal First Reading.

The Bill “to make provision for licensing authorities to restrict the number of Category B2 gaming machines which may be authorised under a betting premises licence” was introduced by the Bishop of Bristol on behalf of its sponsor the Bishop of St Albans, read a first time and ordered to be printed.

A press release accompanying the First Reading was issued by the Bishop of St Albans and is reproduced below.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans’ Bill on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals Introduced to Lords”

Bishop of St Albans asks about the social impact of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals

On 15th March 2016, the Lord Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked the Government “what assessment they have made of the social impact of category B2 gaming machines.” The Earl of Courtown responded on behalf of the Government.

StAlbans171115

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the social impact of category B2 gaming machines. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about the social impact of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals”

Gambling Bill: Bishop of St Albans supports move to regulate fixed odds betting terminals

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.

StAlbans171115The 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”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about tax receipts from fixed odds betting terminals

StAlbans171115On 2nd February 2016 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on fixed odds betting terminals.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much tax  revenue they have collected directly from fixed-odds betting terminals in each of the years from 2010–11 to 2014–15 inclusive.  Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about tax receipts from fixed odds betting terminals”

Bishop of Chester pays tribute to Heritage Lottery Fund support for cathedrals and church buildings

On 17th December 2015 the House of Lords debated a motion from Lord Holmes of Richmond, “To move that this House takes note, on the occasion of its 21st birthday, of the contribution made by the National Lottery to sport, culture, charities and national heritage throughout the United Kingdom.” The Bishop of Chester, Rt Revd Peter Forster, spoke in the debate,paying tribute to the positive impact lottery funding has had on cathedrals and church buildings. 

14.03 Bishop of Chester

The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, most of us will remember the strapline which launched the National Lottery: “It could be you”. Well, I never quite believed that it would be me but, nevertheless, the lottery has had great success over time. Many people thought that it would slightly fade from view and lose some of its initial gloss. Indeed, people worked out that it probably would not be them at all. It is very interesting how it has become a national institution. In that sense, we have been led into temptation on a grand scale. Continue reading “Bishop of Chester pays tribute to Heritage Lottery Fund support for cathedrals and church buildings”

Bishop of St Albans raises gambling addiction and social problems of fixed-odds betting terminals

Bishop St Albans June 2015On 22nd, 23rd & 24th July 2015 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received answers to written questions on the scale of gambling addiction in Greater London and fixed-odds betting terminals:

Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the research undertaken by the Campaign for Fairer Gambling into the social problems caused by fixed-odds betting terminals. [HL1485]

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans raises gambling addiction and social problems of fixed-odds betting terminals”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about reducing stakes for fixed odds betting terminals

On Tuesday 16th June 2015 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on gaming machines.

Asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans

Bishop of St Albans

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of reducing the maximum stake for fixed odds betting terminals from £100 to £2.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about reducing stakes for fixed odds betting terminals”

Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill – Report Stage Amendments

The Government’s Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill had its Report Stage in the House of Lords on 4th March 2014. The Bishop of Chester spoke to Amendment 1 and Amendment 7. He and the Bishop of Peterborough took part in a Division on Amendment 1. The Bishop’s speeches are below, with links to respective sections of Hansard on the Uk Parliament website where the speeches can be seen in the context of the debate.

Amendment 1 – Licensing of gambling companies

(via Parliament.uk)

Amendment One (Baroness Howe of Idlicote) sought to “give the Gambling Commission a discretionary power to block financial transactions between people living in the UK and online gambling websites that have not secured a UK Gambling Commission licence”.

The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, I want to associate myself fully with the remarks just made by the noble Lord, Lord Browne, and with the powerful and comprehensive speech made by the noble Baroness, Lady Howe, in introducing the amendment. Continue reading “Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill – Report Stage Amendments”

Archbishop of Canterbury backs calls for review into gambling in the financial sector

On 15th October 2013, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, spoke during the Committee Stage of the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Bill. He spoke in support of an amendment tabled by Liberal Democrat Peer Lord Phillips of Sudbury, which sought to require a review to be undertaken into the current exemptions some banks and similar institutions enjoy from the Gaming Acts, on transactions which could be understood as gambling. Following the debate on the amendment, it was withdrawn.

Archbishop of CanterburyThe Archbishop of Canterbury: My Lords, I am slightly surprised that the Minister should be resistant to what seems to me a very reasonable amendment. One of the dangers that we have faced in the markets over many years is that of parallel markets. The derivatives markets are, as we know, opaque, as has already been remarked on, and we examined them in some detail in the banking standards commission. The computer-driven markets are also very opaque. We examined those markets and remarked that they would constitute the next great crash. When you have these gambling markets on the side that no one quite understands or knows who is participating in them, and which often take place offshore, it seems to me that at the very least there are grounds to hold an inquiry into the effect they are having on market prices through their impact on the shadow market—we should also examine the psychology of the dealers—and on those involved directly in the more regulated market. Continue reading “Archbishop of Canterbury backs calls for review into gambling in the financial sector”