'No-one's smashing the machines anymore' - staff and punters on the FOBT limit

The seven betting shops in Stratford, east London, are undeniably quiet on a Tuesday lunchtime. There are three punters in each of the William Hills, six in one of the Paddy Power shops and four in the other, five in the Ladbrokes, six in the Coral and ten in the Betfred. Business is not exactly booming.

But the shops are also more positive than you might expect nine days after the government introduced a new £2 limit on fixed odds betting terminals that was meant to be the death knell for thousands of them and has undoubtedly played a part in them being less busy.

They are more positive for two reasons. Firstly, managers report the impact has not been as bad as first feared. But perhaps more importantly, they are more positive because the atmosphere has improved considerably. The ability to lose £100 in 30 seconds on the spin of a digital roulette wheel has gone and so have the emotional outbursts that came with it.

Stacy, who manages the biggest shop on the high street – the Ladbrokes, says: "I think it's a good idea personally, it's less good for the business, but I think promoting responsible gambling is a good thing as people could lose it with the machines. It's like peace has finally broken out, I like it. We're not having to be out on the shop floor calming customers down like before.

"There are fewer customers in the shop and some have just left, but people coming in for a bet find the next best thing and have a bet on that. They're spending more time here but spending less money, it's definitely a good move."

Mohammed, manager of the William Hill opposite Maryland station, introduced the new rate early to his shop and reports customers are starting to adjust. "We actually introduced it in this shop on March 25 and I have to say it's not been as bad as I thought – although I know some other shops have been affected much more," he says.

"Trade's picking up, customers are getting used to it and they're still playing – they're just playing other games. We've been running promotions on the racing and other sports which seem to have helped. There's been a drop in turnover but I think spend will build with more time and things could get back to normal."

George, 73, a punter in the William Hill branch opposite Maryland stationCredit: Stuart Riley

George, a punter in Mohammed's shop still trading on the kudos of talking the entire shop into backing Tiger Roll in Saturday's Grand National, is a big fan of the change. "It's better, much better, but then I don't play them," says the Leyton Orient fan. "When people lost they'd smash the machines up – I've seen some terrible things in here – but that doesn't happen now."

Of course, it all depends on your viewpoint. Mario is a FOBT player in the Betfred – which is fairly busy for a Tuesday lunchtime and the only shop with all the machines in use.

"It's no good," says Mario, who is a rare breed as an out-and-out FOBT player still in the shops. "When will they put the stakes back up? They need to increase them. I don't bet on the dogs, I don't bet on the horses, I like to play the machines but you have to play a lot longer and you don't win as much. I don't like it."

The FOBT players may not like it but everyone else seems to. Laura, who runs William Hill's other branch, is a big fan. "It's much better, the stress caused by certain customers has decreased, and I mean a lot," she says. "I think it's a good thing, they should have done it a long time ago."

Noel, a punter in Laura's shop, thinks the impact is greater than the staff are letting on however. "As a punter I'd say the shops have to be losing a lot of money," he says. "People hate the way the new machines are set up and people are realising they are just here to take as much of your money as possible. Customers are walking out and they're losing them. Look at the place, it's empty.

"I think it's good, I can concentrate better now as there's not the same amount of background noise as the place isn't packed with troublemakers. No-one's smashing up the machines anymore and people are more aware they're just there to take, take, take. All the big money roulette players have just gone to the casino."

The big staking roulette players are gone. Whether that is to the casino, online, or they have stopped betting altogether remains to be seen, but their absence seems to have made the betting shops the more hospitable, if less profitable, places the Government intended.

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