Perhaps after her election experience, it is no surprise that Theresa May now takes a dim view of high stakes gambling. This morning we have got details of the prime minister’s reforms to betting shops, online gambling and aggressive advertising. The timing was delayed until the opening of the stock markets, with bookmakers braced for big losses. There has been a big battle in government, with the Treasury seeking to protect the tax revenue it rakes in, and No10 and ministers, including Tracey Crouch, warning of the social impact of a sharp rise in problem gambling (up 50 per cent in three years) and the effects on addicts and their families. There are also wider concerns about the proliferation of betting shops dramatically altering high…

Source: The Times October 31, 2017 08:48 UTC