Freedom to enjoy a free bet

There has been a lot of talk lately about the public being taken for fools. I don’t think that’s totally true, but as a gambler it’s hard not to feel patronised and underestimated by the people in power.

The latest front in the attack on betting is about free bets – something most people who enjoy a flutter, on anything from bingo to football, look out for.

They’re a way of choosing between betting companies and saving a few quid to have fun with our hobby.  

In other words they are just like discount Tuesdays at the cinema, picking up some yellow label bargains at the supermarket or having a cheap pint at Wetherspoons.

This is what the anti-gambling campaigners don’t understand. The vast majority of people who bet are just as sensible and value-conscious as others. They don’t spend more than they can afford on their leisure, and a free bet is a part of that.

If they try and take free bets away they are saying that gamblers are just reckless and stupid with money, or that they can’t tell a straightforward offer from a sneaky plot to get them hooked on gambling. It’s patronising and it’s just plain wrong.

And talk about having a bet both ways – you can’t say you want to make betting more affordable and then try and take away free bets!

We need to stand up for all of our freedoms – including the freedom to get something for free.