A COMMISSION should be set up to examine the impact of problem gambling across Scotland according to a group which studied the betting industry in Glasgow.

The Scottish Parliament has called for evidence on the impact of fixed odds betting terminals which each make an average £47,000 in profit each year.

MSPs are studying two different proposals – one which would allow Scottish Ministers to reduce the number of terminals in new premises and one to extend that power to existing shops.

However, a report agreed by the the city council executive committee warns the powers are only likely to be effective if devolved to local communities.

And councillors have called for greater control over how to deal with betting shops through the planning and licensing legislation.

Punters using fixed odds betting terminals to play roulette and other casino games each place a new bet on average every 35 seconds during sessions lasting a little over seven minutes - typically staking more than £12 on each spin with 5% of the bets more than £50.

City Treasurer Paul Rooney warned too little is understood about what he described as “a serious public health issue”.

He said: “Problem gambling is a serious public health issue with devastating consequences. We need to wake up to that fact.

“Although many of us can recognise gambling disorders have obvious financial implications for individuals, far less is understood about the toll on their physical and mental health and the lives of those around them.

“There are fundamental issues for families – for example, domestic violence and increased emotional, behavioural and substance abuse problems among children – and there is a broad impact on wider society in terms of everything from crime to employment.

“As a country, we have been tip-toeing around these issues for years.

“Without a better understanding of what influences problem gambling and how it plays out in villages, towns and cities across Scotland, public policy will continue to be based on well-intentioned guesswork and it will continue to fail.”

Councillors are worried the new proposals being considered at Holyrood will leave Scottish councils with less control over planning than Westminster gives their counterparts in England.

Mr Rooney said: “Gambling disorders are also a community issue and that’s where our response needs to be. Any new powers need to be pulled down to as local a level as possible.

“Before we can offer effective support, we need to understand the role someone’s environment plays in their problem – then tackle it within and alongside that community.

“The answers are going to be different from one end of a street to another, never mind across the length and breadth of Scotland.”