FOBTs Under Attack from Labor Party Politicians

Alongside other Labor Party politicians, the Party's deputy leader, Harriet Harman, has continued the attacks on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals calling them "a blight on London high streets." Also, as the shadow Culture Secretary, Harman assessed that "There is an absolute proliferation of gambling shops and it's causing a blight on people's lives but it's also causing a blight on our high streets. "We're saying to the government they must let local people decide if they don't want betting shops and that means changing the planning laws." However, a response arrived from Association of British Bookmakers, whose chief Dirk Vennix said: "We have millions of customers that are happy to come into our shops. We employ around 30,000 people in London and we contribute around GBP 600 million to the local economy."