While church leaders in Australia are up in arms over plans by Tabcorp to open on Good Friday, the first time the gambling agency will open on a religious holiday, the Moderator of the Church of Scotland has more pressing concerns. The Reverend David Lunan and eight other church leaders have written to the government to stress their opposition to the liberalisation of laws on fruit machines.

The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) is planning to increase stakes and prizes for the most widely available slot machines in Britain. Under new proposals, stakes and prizes for Category C machines would double with maximum stakes going up to £1 and maximum prizes rising to £70. The church leaders point out that at a time of increasing poverty and unemployment, the maximum prize for a pub fruit machine will be higher than weekly benefit levels.

The Methodist Church, the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, Quaker Action on Alcohol and Drugs, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the United Reformed Church, the Evangelical Alliance, CARE and The Salvation Army have launched a campaign challenging the move. ‘Fruitless’ is a response to the proposals and a call for the government not to implement the measures. While the name of the campaign can be said to be apt, it is to be hoped that the campaign itself does not prove to be fruitless.

Reverend Ian Galloway, Convener of the Church of Scotland's Church & Society Council, said; "Increasing the stakes on one of the most addictive forms of gambling is not part of the responsible economic outlook that we now need. It increases pressure on the most vulnerable in society and helps the rich gambling industry to further exploit the weak."

The Church of England's Home Affairs Policy Adviser, Christopher Jones, added, "With global recession looming, unemployment rising and disposable income falling, the Government has gone back on its earlier concern for vulnerable people in response to pressure from the gambling industry. While it is right that there should be periodic reviews of stakes and prizes, the proposed increases are excessive and will encourage people to risk money that they simply cannot afford to lose.”

David Bradwell, Public Issues Policy Adviser for the British Methodist Church, said, “The Government claims to be committed to protecting those vulnerable to gambling addiction, but have ignored our calls for caution and proper analysis. ‘Fruitless’ is a stand for vulnerable people in the face of these ridiculous proposals.” (E-03.19.09)

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