Need your input: High Street Gaming Centres and Slots Going Unchecked!

[dunover]

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In a BBC investigation, hundreds of High Street gambling centres with B3 machines aren't being checked and non-compliance could be rife.

One third of councils in England and Wales haven't even inspected a single site this year.

Over 130 councils had not carried out inspections, which the regulator, the Gambling Commission, said would mean rule-breaking on the ground would be more difficult to identify.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said councils struggled to fund proactive inspections and the group which represents AGCs said its members operated responsibly and denied targeting vulnerable communities.
AGCs have seen a rise in their Gross Gambling Yield - stakes less winnings paid out - further heightening concerns from councils and MPs and think tanks who already believe high street gambling has a detrimental effect on communities.

Dr James Noyes from the cross-party think tank The Social Market Foundation described them as "sink holes on the high street", adding: "They extract money often from some of the poorest people in the country."

Gross Gambling Yield (GGy) in 2023-24 was almost £463m, 76% more than in 2021-22 figure.

Inspectors are, among other things, meant to check for the permitted number and ratio of B3 slot machines which offer up to £500 in prize money.

Betting shops - licensed to handle bets on horse races and other sports events - are only permitted to have a total of four B3 electronic gaming machines but in an adult gaming centre up to 20% of them can be this type of machine.

 

[PMKFRUITPRO]

Yes I’m sure Gill and Gordon from the local council would be well educated in what to look for!!!!

Let’s hope there is more regulation and compliance that goes into the 100’s of games that end up on these terminals which are there for our ‘entertainment’.

 

[dunover]

Yes I’m sure Gill and Gordon from the local council would be well educated in what to look for!!!!

Let’s hope there is more regulation and compliance that goes into the 100’s of games that end up on these terminals which are there for our ‘entertainment’.

Well it isn't difficult as all they have to is count the machines in a place, make a note of all those with £500 prizes offered. Then divide the total by 5 and if the £500's exceed that number, fine the owners excruciatingly.

In the bookies (unlikely) it's even simpler, they use their clicker (or fingers) each time they see one and count it, if it goes past 4, then proceed with reporting them.

Even a council employee or UKGC agent could do that, surely?

 

[PMKFRUITPRO]

Do you want me to answer that???

 

[dunover]

Do you want me to answer that???

No, fair enough.

 

[PMKFRUITPRO]

Tbf I went into a pub last year which claimed it was a sports bar.

Upon checking the terminals somethimg caught my interest. There were 5 of them.

On said terminals were £400 jackpot games! One of which shall we say was of use to somebody like me. I think I cleared just over a bag profit.

I was told I wasn’t welcome back! I was going to report them but figured it may be of use to somebody else in a few months time that I could send in and go halves with.

Unfortunately it closed down a couple of months later. But a prime example of how places can just site anything and 99.9% of people wouldn’t have a clue if they were allowed to or not.

I also know of a pub not far from me that has a T777 in it, hosting both £200 and £500 jackpot games.

Nobody cares, nobody checks, it’s been in there for almost 3 yrs. I think it’s safe to assume there is no licence being paid!!!!