Bishop says delaying changes to fixed-odds betting could "lead to deaths"

The Bishop of St Albans says he is appalled that new restrictions on fixed-odds betting machines will not be introduced before October 2019.

Ministers have agreed to cut the maximum bet from £100 to £2 as part of a crackdown on problem-gambling, but the change will only come into force in a year's time.

Reverend Alan Smith, told Radio 4's PM programme the decision on timing was "highly likely to lead to a number of deaths".

The government denies the policy has been delayed and says it must be implemented in "an orderly and effective manner to make sure it delivers the results we all want to see".