Parties unite to oppose media gambling

POLITICAL parties on Warrington Borough Council are united in their opposition to media gambling.
A motion proposed by Liberal Democrat Cllr Keith Gleave and seconded by Labour’s Cllr Tony McCarthy gained unanimous support at a meeting of the full council.
Councillors expressed concern that there is insufficient control over television, internet and phone gambling and advertising.
Cllr Gleave (pictured) said: “It’s not that long ago that betting on football matches was limited to prior to the match.
“Later it moved to betting being allowed at half time. Now it appears that you can lay a bet on at any minute of a match, whether broadcast on the television or not. This type of betting is not limited to football, it can be done on most broadcast sports in real time.
“If you watch any of the commercial channels in the evening, you are bombarded with adverts for bingo, poker, casinos and general betting. “They extol the virtues of how easy it is to place a bet and how easy it is to play from your TV, computer or smart phone. Add to this the slick marketing techniques of famous people, brash colours and the offer of free money if you just put an amount forward now.
“It is an instantaneous connection into people’s homes. Money immediately transfers out of a person’s bank account into that of the business. There can be no cooling off period for the customer here. It’s instant play, instant loss or win.”
Cllr Gleave said the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act covered betting, bingo, casinos and lotteries on the high street.
Restrictions and conditions were placed on businesses by the Act and by local councils who administer the Act.
“These restrictions and conditions do not apply to e-media forms of gambling. A number of these conditions are in place to protect the vulnerable in society, who might use too much of their income in these establishments leaving little for their family or themselves.”
The motion – which was supported by all members of the licensing committee at its last meeting – calls on Warrington’s two MPs to lobby government to have all forms of e-media gambling brought under the Act.