Bookmakers Pull Brand-new Games After Gambling Commission Warning Bookmakers pull brand-new video games after Gambling Commission warning 2 April 2019 Two leading UK bookmakers have actually pulled brand-new high stakes betting video games after a warning from the Gambling Commission. Paddy Power and Betfred dealt with criticism their roulette-style games weakened brand-new rules on fixed-odds betting. The optimum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals was this week cut from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2, and the regulator alerted versus any efforts to prevent the guidelines. Betfred stated it wanted more talks with the commission, while Paddy Power said its video game was just a restricted trial. The ₤ 2 cap on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) was advised by the Gambling Commission in March last year and is backed by the government as part of efforts to lower gambling-related damage. The Betfred game included two cyclists on a screen in shops racing on a velodrome track with numbers on it. When the cyclist at the rear captures the one in front, the number they are on is the winning number. The numbers are 1 to 36, matching those on a roulette wheel, and other bets can be put on odd and even numbers, colours, rows and columns. Customers might bet as much as ₤ 500. Paddy Power's video game, with an optimum stake of ₤ 100 - the level before this week's FOBT rule-change - likewise involved banking on numbers in between 1 and 36. A Paddy Power representative stated: "This game was presented as part of a short trial in a choice of shops. The trial was ceased within 24 hr of start and this product will not be released across our estate." Act responsibly Ahead of the commission's intervention, both firms drew fire from critics. Shadow culture minister Tom Watson explained them as "FOBTs through the back entrance".