Fixed Odds Betting Terminals

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Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) are computerised machines normally found in betting shops which allow players to bet on the outcome of various games and events with Fixed Odds. They were introduced to UK shops in 2002 by a company called 'the global draw' , shortly after the abolition of the Betting Tax in October 2001.

The most commonly played game is roulette. The minimum bet per spin used to be £1, but is now only 25p and the maximum is £100. Chips can be as small as 20 pence. The maximum amount that can be won on any spin is £500.

Other games include Spoof, Bingo, Virtual Racing and Triple Disc.

Shops are allowed a maximum of four such terminals, although since this number also includes fruit machines, many shops have fewer than four.

Like all house-banked casino games, the house has an edge, with current margins on roulette based games being theoretically between 2.5 and 5%.