We need to have a greater balance in the debate over Fobts

I write with interest concerning the recent coverage indicating that the Treasury has backed down over its possible opposition to curbs on fixed odds betting terminals.

In The Times article (September 12) a report by Landman Economics was quoted as claiming gaming machines – also known as Fobts – have cost 200,000 jobs and estimates that £1 billion lost on them supports only 4,500 jobs in the betting industry, whereas that sum would apparently support 21,000 jobs in other areas such as shops and pubs.

This seems to suggest money spent in betting shops, and in particular on Fobts, would automatically be spent on products and services elsewhere. It seems confidently to ignore the widely accepted reality that any reduction in Fobt gross win will by and large end up going to the largely offshore gambling industry, where even fewer jobs, and predominately overseas ones at that, will be supported.