According to The Times Online, Andrew Burnham, UK Cultural Secretary, approved a resolution to relax slot limits. The new guidelines permit slots in pubs, the nation’s clubs and land bookmakers to now accept bets of up to $1.47 and to pay out a max of $102.88.

Newly approved limits are almost double the $0.74 bets and $51.47 payouts that had been allowed before. It is expected tax revenue to increase by 20% that is over $40 million.

At the point, slot machines in the UK generate more than $14 billion in total revenue and pay out nearly $12 billion in prizes. This limits were risen the second time for many years.

However, some concerns have already appeared in the media. They say the new limits will incite gambling addiction during the present economic recession. Anna Drew, Methodist Church spokeswoman, said as a player’s initial losses increase his likelihood of making more wagers. Drew said: “People chase their losses on slots”.

According to GameCare, Britain have nearly a third of a million problem players. Critics also think that the new limits might create more chances for problem gamblers to make bets. An increase in betting limits will cause clubs and pubs to augment the number of slots.

Throughout the UK there are around 80,000 slot machines to date with an 8.1 million regular players. And according to the UK Gambling Commission, about one-third of these players are younger than 25 years old, most of them are male.

Religious groups have accused Gordon Brown of promoting greed in Britain and they consider the new limits the evidence. Brown’s supporters call this in question and remind of the fact that the prime minister is in opposition to casino expansion. Soon after Brown became Prime Minister he axed plans for Manchester project of super casinos with unlimited jackpots.

They also said that Parliament had made smaller increases but no less than twice the previous limits would in the main increase tax revenue.

Brown says it is a necessary step, as “the economy isn’t moving.”

Furthermore, a spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sports asserted that the Gambling Commission would enforce a stringent code of conduct on slot machine operators. He said that ‘the protection of children and vulnerable people’ is the objectives of the Gambling Act and it remains the priority.