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

Ministers have agreed to cut the maximum bet on fixed-odds terminals from a 拢100 to 拢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".