The Government seem set to change the law to reduce the maximum stake on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals to possibly as low as £2.

Not before time in my view as these machines are an obscenity and are rightly described as the “ crack cocaine” of gambling.

Unsurprisingly the bookmakers are crying foul and are mechanising their parliamentary lobby and if further evidence that Racing is run for the bookmakers above its other stakeholders we have the BHA rushing to their defence.

All of a sudden, Racing is going to collapse due to the inevitable mass closure of betting shops.

Why did it not do so before the FOBT were introduced?

Why not give the TOTE to racing and let it retain its profits for racing?

I will climb down from my soapbox now