Influencing UK policy to reduce the harmful impacts of gambling at fixed odds betting machines

Before the regulatory change in 2019 that reduced the maximum stake on fixed odd betting terminals (FOBTs) from £100 to £2, over 45% of the UK adult population took part in gambling, with FOBTs playing a major role (in 2016 there were 34,000 FOBTs with £1.82 billion a year spent by people playing on them). Researchers from the School played a major role in the British gambling prevalence surveys which showed how addictive they were and led to the change in regulation. This resulted in a 45% fall in gambling yield from FOBTs and a consequential reduction in gambling-related harm.

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