Significant rise for Scottish fixed-odds betting terminals

From iGaming Business – Scottish gamblers staked £4.4bn ($6.65bn/€5.09bn) on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) between October of 2011 and September of 2012, a year-on-year increase of £176m, according to new figures from the Campaign For Fairer Gambling. The Daily Record newspaper said that £149m of the total amount staked was lost on the casino-style terminals, which allow gamers to bet up to £100 every 20 seconds on roulette, poker and blackjack. Critics have branded FOBTs part of a ‘toxic economy’ and have called for legislation to mirror that of Ireland where politicians recently outlawed the machines. However, UK ministers have…