John Cleese, one of the creators of the famous comedy TV show Monthy Python, and the similar-in-humor movie The Holy Grail has expressed scepticism towards the fixed-odds betting terminal called Spamalot.
The Landbroker owned FOBT gives players the chance to win close to £500 in a single rollout. Many critics and gambling journalists have given FOBTs the label of being the ‘crack cocaine’ of betting. Reports state that online bookmakers get around fifty percent of their profits from this specific type of games.
There is a number of organization fighting against gambling addiction which are concerned when punters lose hundreds of pounds in just a matter of minutes.
After receiving increased criticism from Twitter, John Cleese explained that the Python creators have no other connection to Spamalot, other than giving permission to Ladbroker’s to use their movie’s graphics and sounds. He twitted “Dear Twits, Please understand that Python has no control over Spamalot activities. They pay us royalties for using the Grail script. That’s it.”
Some FOBT terminals which are under the B2 licensing category can allow gambling of up to £100 for a single bet. It is different with B3 category games which stake around £2, stated a Ladbrokes spokesperson.
He further explained that there is a feature, which is mostly provided by partners of Ladbrokes, which allows the increase of bets to up to thirty pounds, and that each punter is warned for reaching a different category of gaming, the B2.
Gambling awareness specialist labeled these terminals as ‘hybrid’, and having the only purpose of unjustly attracting as many players as possible with low starting stakes, and then gradually increasing the stakes. Adrian Parkinson further added that it is shameful for a famous brand such as Python, to be connected in any way with a mischievous and manipulative gambling terminal such as the Spamalot.
The Campaign for Fairer Gaming raised concerns that similar-type of games like Spamalot are already being launched on online platforms. It is therefore much easier for under-aged players to spend real money on those games, as the online age verification is much weaker compared to remote terminals.
Ladbrokes assured that the risks of the online FOTBs to attract teenagers is nominal. A research conducted by prof Griffith show that there is a subsiding trend among youngsters in Wales and England to spend money on online gambling. He further added that the average session of such games is around ten minutes and usually cost around £7.
Representative of the Responsible Gambling Trust added that they are currently researching how the FOTBs affect player behavior, and are urging the industry to train its employees to better understand and prevent any negative impact on punters.
It is yet unclear whether the other Python members are aware of the reputation and issues connected with Spamalot. John Cleese explains that they have no managing power over the game and that his team isn’t even consulted. The Gaming Commission is still working on further measures concerning this type of games and there is no public announcement from the licensees of the game – Gaming Enterprises, the investigation continues.
