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5 live Investigates

5 Live Investigates

Factual: Consumer

Adrian Goldberg presents cutting edge investigative journalism

Adrian Goldberg presents cutting edge investigative journalism, as well as taking on listeners' campaigns and consumer issues

5 Live Investigates: Betting Shops

17/12/2017

Betting Shops

BBC Radio 5 Live - 5 Live Investigates, Betting Shops

Adrian Goldberg and the team examine the gambling industry's self-exclusion scheme.

A self-exclusion scheme for problem gamblers doesn't work, according to an investigation by 5 live Investigates.

The betting industry watchdog the Gambling Commission has launched an inquiry into a self-exclusion scheme designed to help problem gamblers. It follows an undercover investigation by 5 live Investigates. The programme's reporter signed up to the Multi-Operator Self-Exclusion Scheme (MOSES) and got himself barred from 21 betting shops in Grimsby, Lincolnshire. He submitted his details and a photograph of himself to the scheme which were then distributed to the 21 shops he asked to be excluded from. Ten days later, he then visited them all and attempted to play on fixed odds betting terminals which he did without being challenged in 19 of them. In two of the shops he was recognised and asked to leave. The Association of Bookmakers said: "We accept that the current self-exclusion scheme is not without flaws. However we are continually developing improved systems." The Senet Group, which runs the MOSES scheme on behalf of the gambling industry, said the programme's findings were 'a wake-up call.'.

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