Andrew Marr: Most of us like a flutter but for some gambling can be a drug as addictive as smack

27 April 2023, 18:51

Andrew Marr has spoken out on the addictive nature of gambling, likening a flutter - and the negative impacts it can have on both families and individuals - to hard drugs.

Speaking on Tonight with Andrew Marr, the presenter responded to the long-awaited publication of the government's white paper on gambling following a four-year delay.

"Gambling devastates lives," Marr began, highlighting that "Britain is the world's largest online gambling market, worth around 11 billion a year".

Recounting a visit to the races with his grandfather as a young boy - an experience which saw him bet "quite a few shillings and several half crowns" on a 15 to 1 outsider. The win was accompanied by harsh words from his grandfather: "You are never- ever -going racing again."

"Since then I've been slightly scared of gambling dash casino's, roulette tables, bookies and Bingo Halls have never really appealed. Lucky me." admitted Marr.

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"It's been attacked by MPs, including people on its own side such as the former Tory leader Ian Duncan Smith comma for not going far enough in reigning in the industry and its very active lobbyists.

"But it's also been attacked, again from its own side, for an outbreak of knee jerk nanny State interference with individual rights. 

Andrew Marr on government's White Paper on gambling

"There's a long list of proposals, including restricting under 25’s to Stakes of two pounds on slot machines -15 quid for everyone else - and financial checks on people who lose a thousand pounds a day or 2,000 pounds over 90 days - those would trigger bank probes into your spending behavior, and to slow down online casino games, as well as a new Levy on gambling companies to fund treatment for addicted gamblers," Marr said.

"And all these measures, including looser restrictions for bricks and mortar casinos, aren't going to be law anytime soon but are being put out for consultation.

"It's been a very long process and some people, wonder whether ministers have effectively been muzzled or nobbled by the industry...To kick us off this evening I'm joined by Stuart Andrew - and when I call him the gambling minister I'm talking about his portfolio not his personal habits...." he continued.

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Also speaking of the current state of play in Sudan, Marr adds: "Time is Running Out in Sudan for those Britons who haven't yet made it to the airport from which rescue flights are leaving thought stop the ceasefire is already beginning to break down and the Foreign Secretary James cleverly warned earlier today that once it did, it might be impossible to travel safely to the flights.

"There are planes, there is capacity - we will lift you out. I'm not able to make those same assurances once the ceasefire has ended.”

He added: "So if you're planning to move, move now".

"Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, has said there will be no special safe and legal roots out for Sudanese refugees and it seems that doctors from the Sudan, who have residency in Britain and have been working for the NHS, will not be allowed on the flights either.

"With around 400 of the British nationals trapped in Sudan no either back in Britain or on flights home, there are still well over a thousand who haven't made it to the airport and within the last couple of hours there have been reports of air raids and renewed fighting also.

"In a moment we will hear from Alicia Kearns, chair of the foreign affairs Select Committee. But first Kholood Khair is a British National who joins us from Port Sudan after fleeing Khartoum a few days ago....."

"Listening to that is Alicia Kearns the chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee."

Speaking of the nation's switch to electric vehicles, Marr said: "Let's turn to a much more domestic story. Millions of people up and down the country are wondering whether and when to sell their petrol or diesel cars and go electric; and everywhere you hear the same worry - will there actually be enough charging points so that I can be guaranteed to get from A to B and back again?

"It's much easier of course if you've got your own driveway and your own charging point, but what about those who will have to cruise the streets and B roads looking for a suitable place?

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"Across the UK there are more than 42,000 charging points in 15 and a half thousand different places - even that may not be enough to reassure would-be electric drivers," he adds.

"Tomorrow, Charge UK, the new industry body for electrical vehicle charging, is launched at Farnborough, with the aim of accelerating Britain's position as a world leader in electric vehicles. I'm joined now by Ian Johnson chair of charge UK..."