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Ralph Topping, the boss of William Hill, Britain’s largest bookmaker, warned that a UK curb on gambling will likely result in the mass killing of defenseless greyhounds and horses.
"What funds greyhound racing and horse racing? Retail betting," Topping told The Daily Mail this week.
"If you hit that you might as well get the stun guns ready and start shooting the horse population and the greyhound population, because horse racing isn’t going to survive in its current form."
William Hill sponsors horse racing events throughout the UK.
Britain’s bookmakers are facing a potential ban what many deem to be their "bread and butter", the highly addictive Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) - often referred to as the ‘crack cocaine of gambling’.
Users of the high-stakes games can lose £100 per spin and they have been blamed for a rise in problem gambling, the Daily Mail noted.
Bookmakers have already warned of cutbacks in their operations as a result of a potential ban or restrictions on said machines.
For its part, the gambling sector in Great Britain has instituted a code of conduct as it relates to addictive gambling.
"Betting is a pursuit enjoyed by millions of working class people throughout Britain and we seek to reach the widest audience possible by being present on High Streets," the Association of British Bookmakers said.
"We accept there are concerns about these gaming machines and are always open to a constructive dialogue with politicians about the appropriate powers for local authorities."
It added: "The claims of widespread problem gambling on machines is just not supported by evidence. The industry continues to develop its approach to harm mitigation for the small number of gamblers who do experience problems."
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
