Hackney's high spending on slot machines
4 January 2013 at 00:00:00
Hackney South and Shoreditch residents spend over £167m a year on slot machines in betting shops according to new figures.
Meg Hillier MP who has raised concerns about the high number of betting shops in Hackney raised concerns that the machines prey on the poorest.
"Per head of population the poorest areas see more spent on these machines which allow people to spend a £100 every 20 seconds
"There is no human interaction with a machine which makes it just a money making exercise.
"With over 70 betting shops in Hackney, these machines just add to temptation for those who can least afford it. The Government must not allow the number of these machines to be increased. If it bows to the demands of the bookmakers it is constituents in areas like Hackney who have most to lose.
"£167,586,207 was spent in just this constituency in the last year which dwarfs the money spent on providing social housing."