UK may implement cut of FOBT maximum stakes earlier than announced

The British culture minister Jeremy Wright said the government is planning to prepone the implementation of the planned reduction of the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs). Earlier, the date of implementation was October 2019. It could be proposed by six months to April 2019.

It is a real twist in the tale, following the resignation of sports minister Tracey Crouch, who blamed the government of delaying to October the planned the reduction of maximum stake from 100 pounds to just two pounds.

The government had been staring at a possible defeat on its budget legislation in parliament, as many legislators from the governing Conservatives backed an amendment which would have forced them to bring forward the timing of the cut.

Wright said the implementation of the proposed rise in Remote Gaming Duty, paid by online gaming operators, could also be preponed to April to cover the negative impact on the public finances.