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FOB-Ts in British betting shops: Further analysis of machine data to examine the impact of the £50 Regulations

Author: D. Forrest & I. McHale Published: January 2017
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Summary

This report from the Universities of Liverpool and Salford analyses the impact of new regulations that required players to register an account or obtain staff authorisation to stake over £50 on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) in UK bookmakers.

Topics covered

  • changes in betting patterns and stake sizes after the £50 regulations
  • impact on session length, speed of play, and player losses
  • effectiveness of the regulations in reducing gambling-related harm

Key findings

The report found the £50 regulations successfully reduced high-stakes betting above £50, but players largely adapted by shifting to stakes just under £50.
While the regulations demonstrated that "nudge" policies can alter specific behaviours, players compensated in ways that likely maintained similar levels of gambling-related harm.

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