WIRRAL gamblers lost £2 million in a year on betting machines, new figures show.

Almost £60 million was gambled on slot machines and 'one-armed bandits' across Wirral last year.

Latest estimates released by the Campaign for Fairer Gambling show £163m was lost on fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) in the Northwest in 2014, with a troubling £65m of this coming from at risk or problem gamblers.

FOBTs are the high-speed, high-stakes electronic gaming machines found in betting shops, on which it is possible to gamble £100 on a single 20 second spin.

The Campaign says their content, especially the casino style roulette, has brought “dangerously addictive” gambling to the UK’s high streets.

On Wirral, £59m was gambled on such machines last year, with figures showing more than £2m was lost.

The new data reveals that an estimated £1.5 billion was lost on FOBTs nationally and also exposes the true FOBT landscape in the UK today. 

Broken down by both parliamentary and local authority boundaries, the analysis shows that there are an estimated 35,347 FOBTs in the UK – each of which generates an estimated profit of £875 per week for bookmakers – or £45,500 per year, per machine.

As well as estimates showing cash inserted into FOBTs and amounts gambled and lost, the Campaign has taken its analysis a step further to include data on the amount of money lost by problem or at risk gamblers.

The Northwest is estimated to have 180,177 FOBT users - 39,459 of whom are deemed to be “at risk” or “problem” gamblers.

This data was calculated using Gambling Commission reports which included estimates of FOBT player populations and moderate to high risk problem gamblers.

Adrian Parkinson, consultant for the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, said: "This year’s data is especially poignant because we have taken extra time to calculate the effect these machines are having on at risk or vulnerable gamblers.

“In this General Election year, politicians really need to wake up to the devastating effect these machines are having on communities up and down the country. There is one simple and effective way to reduce the harm of these machines without the need for primary legislation – reducing the maximum stake from £100 to £2.”