LONDON, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The British government agreed to double the possible stakes and prizes for slot machines, but religious leaders panned the concept.
Culture Secretary Andy Burnham approved a plan that allows slot machine wagers to rise to about $1.50 with prize limits doubling from $50 to $100.
Some have questioned the concept of raising the limits during a recession, The Times of London reported Monday.
Anna Drew, a spokeswoman for the Methodist Church said the church was concerned over "the amount that people risk and the amount they would want to chase," noting some gamblers "pump money in to get back … (what) they have already spent."
Five Bishops complained about the policy shift, but Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the move was needed "if an economy is not moving."
The government stands to gain an additional $39 million a year in value added taxes, while the industry stands to gain an additional 20 percent in revenues, The Times said.
