Advertising next battleground as MPs pledge to keep industry under the spotlight

Gambling operators met on Tuesday, according to Sky News' well-informed City editor Mark Kleinman, to discuss the introduction of tough voluntary restrictions on television advertising in the face of increasing public and political pressure.

On the same day, the signs from Westminster were very clear the industry is going to need to take action quickly to stave off further intervention in its affairs – that's if it is not already too late.

Gambling again came up in the House of Commons on Tuesday when MPs discussed the Finance Bill six days after backbenchers from all parties were successful in forcing the government to impose the reduction in FOBT stakes to £2 from £100 in April rather than October next year, and there was no indication that would be the end of the matter during the debate.