Gambling News by Gambling Headquarters

The historic ban on betting in pubs could be swept away after ministers announced plans for a gambling free-for-all. Pubs, bars and clubs will be allowed to stage poker games without a gaming licence. The proposal was condemned as an "atrocious" encouragement to problem gambling. Experts said the mix of drinking and betting would be disastrous. Golf clubs, political parties and working men's clubs will also be able to host betting events in what amounts to the most radical overhaul of drinking and gambling for four decades. Under plans outlined by Sports Minister Richard Caborn yesterday, gamblers will be allowed to join low-stakes poker games, paying £5 to join a poker or cribbage tournament in pubs and up to £10 in private members' clubs. MPs claimed the new rules could not possibly be policed effectively, opening the door to high stakes gambling on the High Street and the prospect of drunken players losing money long into the night. Landlords will be allowed to offer poker prizes worth up to £100 a night and up to £500 a week as long as they do not take a cut of the winnings or charge gamblers to play. Private members' clubs can offer tournaments paying £200 a night and up to £1,000 a week. That means pubs could stage a tournament where 20 people pay £5 to enter, or 100 people pay £1 to enter on five nights of the week. Crucially, clubs and bars will no longer have to apply for a formal licence to stage gambling events as they do at present. Landlords who allow high stakes gaming could be stripped of the right to host poker tournaments - but would not face the loss of their liquor licence. Experts expressed dismay at Labour's determination to press ahead with the liberalisation of the gaming laws and combine them with longer drinking hours, which have already been blamed for a rise in alcohol-related violence. "It's appalling, but it is completely in line with everything this government have been doing," said Dr Emanuel Moran, adviser on pathological gambling to the Royal College of Psychiatrists. "There is a tremendous amount of evidence indicating that alcohol interferes with people's judgment. The combination of alcohol and gambling is liable to be disastrous." Dr Moran, who helped set up Gamblers Anonymous, added: "The stakes may be low but people can easily accumulate tremendous debts and then chase their losses. There is not going to be a council official monitoring every game."

Tory culture spokesman Hugo Swire warned that the controls on pub gambling would be too lax. The only body policing the regulations will be the already overworked local licensing authorities.

"There is no way landlords will be able to control the amounts staked and in practice these limits will be totally ignored," he said.

Under the plans, which could come into force in September, pubs and clubs will be allowed to offer bingo but the total prize money that on offer will be limited for the first time to £2,000 a week.

Casino games which involve a banker or croupier, such as pontoon, blackjack and roulette, will still be banned. Each pub will still be allowed to have two slot machines taking stakes of up to 50p and paying out jackpots of up to £35.

The changes were made after lobbying by the pub industry, which believes the pull of poker will bring in more customers.

Mr Caborn said: "These proposals set out a comprehensive set of rules governing gaming in pubs and clubs that will keep it fair, crime-free and ensure children and the vulnerable are protected.

"Many people have enjoyed low stakes games like bingo, cribbage and dominoes in clubs and pubs for decades and there is no evidence of an increase in problem gambling or crime as a result. But we now need clearer rules and limits on stakes and prizes to keep it that way."