LAST week, in parliament I raised the issue of Fixed-Odds Betting Terminals (FOBT’s) with the First Minister and asked what action the Scottish Government can take to tackle the proliferation of fixed-odds betting terminals and payday lenders on the country’s high streets.

The First Minister highlighted how the matter is currently reserved to the UK Government. However, the Scottish Government has already taken action to address payday lending and gambling by holding a wide ranging summit on the issues at hand. Alongside this, new Scottish planning policy acknowledged concerns about the proliferation of payday lenders and fixed-odds betting terminals on some high streets. The First Minister indicated that, ‘local authorities, through their town centre strategies, can develop policies to restrict such uses to protect the amenity of centres and, of course, the wellbeing of communities’.

I attended the summit the First Minister was referring to and the report on the event has now been published on the Scottish Government website.

I welcome the news that the Scottish Government will consider the need for further research on problem gambling in Scotland and will explore what training programmes can be delivered on the subject.

Tele readers will be aware, through my campaign, that Inverclyde Council has agreed to invite speakers from Gamblers Anonymous (GA) into secondary schools to speak with pupils about the dangers of fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs).

The actions mentioned above are a good starting point but more must be done to tackle the issue of problem gambling and the proliferation of FOBTs.