A MAN has been banned from every betting shop in England and Wales after smashing up gaming machines described as the ‘crack cocaine of gambling’.

Magistrates heard that Sarfraz Patel, 38, had lost £1,000 on the fixed odds betting terminals in Blackburn when he acted out of frustration.

His solicitor described the machines as ‘the cocaine of gambling’ and said the betting industry’s claim that they only wanted people to gamble responsibly was ‘nonsense’.

Jonathan Taylor told Blackburn magistrates: “Their response to a limit on the number of machines in each shop is to have more shops. They know they can get vulnerable addicts to enter their shops and pump huge amounts of money into these machines which are rigged in favour of the bookies.

“The amounts being wagered are phenomenal as thousands of pounds go into the machines on a daily basis. They know they are the cocaine of gambling. They are the most addictive form of gambling and people are losing vast amounts of money which they can’t afford to lose.”

Mr Taylor said the gamblers were left ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’ to fund their addiction.

Patel, of Whalley Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to damaging four gaming machines belonging to Ladbrokes and one belonging to William Hill.

He also asked for two charges, involving machines belonging to William Hill and Coral to be taken into consideration.

He was made subject to a community order with a 40-day rehabilitation requirement, a weekend curfew between 7pm and 1am for two months and ordered to pay £250 compensation to Ladbrokes and £100 each to William Hill and Coral.

He was made subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order for two years which bans him from entering any licensed betting office in England or Wales for two years.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, told the court the female worker in William Hill had been six months pregnant when Patel smashed a chair on a machine and she had been scared.

Ladbrokes worker Anthony Gardner said Patel started making strange noises and pacing round as he lost. At one stage he appeared to be pulling his hair out but continued to play. He suddenly picked up a stool and started to smash the machine with it.

“He then smashed three more machines before leaving,” said Miss Allan.

When he was interviewed by police Patel said he had lost £1,000 and was ‘very desperate’.

The total costs of the damage he caused was £4,147.

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones has long campaigned against the machines which he describes as the ‘crack cocaine of gambling’.

Peter Craske, from the Association of British Bookmakers, said: “Following the introduction of ABB’s Code for Responsible Gambling last year, players have been able to set limits for money they spend or the time they play for. 125,000 players now set a limit and stop playing when they reach it.”