Gamblers have sunk more than £12 million into controversial betting machines in the last year, according to new data.

Figures from The Campaign for Fairer Gambling has revealed that in 2014 households in Harrow lost a staggering £12,826,545 through betting on controversial Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBT).

Under the Gambling Act 2005, betting shops are allowed to have up to four FOBT’s on their premises, which feature digital, touch screen games of roulette, horse racing, bingo and a range of slot machine games.

In Harrow, a total of £67,508,130 has been slotted into these machines – with a loss of £12,826,545 – while in Brent, more than £116 million was spent with a loss of £22,217,408.

The borough has 47 betting shops, which employ 257 staff and pays more than £5 million a year in tax.

In November, Harrow Council joined 92 other local authorities to submit a Sustainable Communities Act proposal, which called for the government to reduce the stakes on FOBTs from £100 to £2.

Currently machines in pubs, bingo halls and arcades have a maximum stake of £2 or less, and only machines located in casinos or betting shops have higher stakes.

Cllr David Perry, Leader of Harrow Council, said: “We’ve seen an increase in betting shops across Harrow, which simply cannot be right with so many of our residents struggling to make ends meet due to the on-going government cuts and cost of living crisis.

“Harrow Council are part of the London wide campaign to reduce the stakes on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals to £2, so people can bet responsibly.

“We wrote to the government to call for them to give Local Authorities the power to protect our communities from the effects of reckless gambling and are disappointed that they have yet to act.

“As these figures show, Fixed Odds Betting Terminals are a real problem and it’s only right that as a council we act to protect our residents and communities.”

London Mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan is also backing the campaign, which will be debated by the government in a few days.

He said: “The explosion in the use of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals over the last decade and the sheer amount of money being lost in them is a cause for deep concern.

“We already knew that bookies were targeting the desperate and vulnerable by deliberately setting-up shop in deprived communities, but now we know just how much money they’re extracting from the people they prey on.

“The astronomical sums which are being leeched by the gambling industry from some of our most impoverished communities ought to be a stain on our collective social conscience and a spur for genuine action.”

But the Association of British Bookmakers say it rejects the figures and that thousands of gamblers are setting themselves their own limits and sticking to them.

According to the association, data taken directly from Harrow machines shows the average amount spent in a game is £8.31 and the average player only plays for 9.24 minutes.