FOBTs are no more addictive than playing at an online casino

Only a couple of weeks ago, November 15th to be exact we highlighted the apparent problems in UK bookmakers with the Fixed Odds Betting Terminals which were supposedly creating more of a problem than online casinos despite having very similar games and it now seems that some MPs are objecting to the campaign against them. As we know here at casinos.ie the FOBTs in question are not available in Ireland but it has always appeared strange that the machines which provide mainly roulette should be any more addictive than roulette at an online casino and this seems to be borne out by the “All Party Betting and Gaming Committee” who gave called a campaign against the machines as being “without objective substantiation, factually inaccurate, denigratory, omits material information and expresses subjective opinion as if this are objective claims” which seems to indicate they are not in favour of the report. Interestingly the committees own research suggests that the percentage of people gambling on these machines has risen from 3% to 4% from 2007 to 2012 which is hardly a drama. Our own take on this is that people who want to play roulette do not go to a bookmaker to do so but will play at an online casino where there is a much greater choice of casino games. There will undoubtedly be some gamblers who like to gamble on horses who will play the machines but whether this can be blamed for an increase in problem gambling in the UK remains open to debate. In the meantime our Irish casino players can carry on as usual and if you feel that you have to go to a high street bookmaker to place a sports gambling bet then go ahead but actually you can bet on the horses with the same account from your online casino if you use one of the online casinos that we list on this site.