Stuart Richards: “I don’t know how many times we have heard from successive MPs, Lords and government ministers – ‘I am not ruling out positive changes in the future’

Dear Coinslot

When Baroness Twycross was appointed to her position as the Minister for Gambling she did not get off to an exactly proactive start by declining invitations to the Bacta reception in the House of Commons in November 2024 and also the Bacta Convention the following day, apparently due to her duties in the House of Lords. 

I know that these invitations were sent to her shortly after she took office in July 2024 so she had months to readjust her schedule to hopefully make even a brief appearance at either of these two important Bacta occasions.

I have no doubt that many members, myself included, were prepared to overlook this snub to our industry.

Unfortunately, after reading her recent letter to our President John Bollom, the members of Bacta, including myself, who gave her the benefit of the doubt in November may now be having second thoughts.

I am sorry to say that the letter she wrote had all the hallmarks of “kicking the can down the road hoping it will eventually disappear”. 

 I don’t know how many times we have heard  from successive MPs, Lords and government ministers – “I am not ruling out positive changes in the future” etc etc and hope that these ever predictable comments to put Bacta in promiseland will keep us at arms length for another year and maybe more.

It would appear that any sort of change to the 80/20 rule will be postponed until at least 2026 pending yet more information that is required on problem gambling. 

Unfortunately, my prediction of 2026 is providing they do not require any further amendments to the proposed format so it could drag on even further.

Baroness Twycross concedes that the FEC sector has been hit and she is prepared to look at stakes and prizes for Cat D machines over the summer period. 

I don’t imagine any FEC operators will be changing their holiday plans on hearing that news. She also talks about the risks to vulnerable people in AGC premises and how best to mitigate this problem and will not commit to any deregulatory changes until she is satisfied with our fact based evidence.

I am sure that Bacta has already given her proof of how responsibly premises are governed, however whilst her department are considering these issues she may want to look at the National Lottery, and in particular scratch cards whereby they have become so popular that you cannot buy more than ten in any one transaction.

I have a son who is employed by a supermarket chain and he has told me that the ten card rule is blatantly abused by customers in unregulated outlets and with annual sales of two billion pounds plus per annum on scratch cards alone these gambling related products should come under the same scrutiny that is being asked of our industry.

Hopefully Baroness Twycross and  the department which deals with the National Lottery will apply the same stringent diligence as is being forced on the entire industry – one we shouldn’t forget is already the most regulated of any British industry and also subject to a Statutory Levy aimed at protecting the small number of people at harm.

We all look forward to hearing from Baroness Twycross at the Convention in November.

Maybe there will be some light at the end of the tunnel for the industry – and I just hope that light is not an oncoming express train.

Yours sincerely

Stuart Richards

Playmore Ltd