New FOBT levies must be used to help problem gamblers

In this
week’s budget George Osborne announced that the Government would increase taxes
on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals from 20% to 25%. This may seem on the face of
it as if the Government is taking action against what has been described as
‘the crack cocaine of gambling’.  However a reliance on treasury revenue
from such addictive gambling machines risks creating a perverse incentive.