Bookmaker William Hill is closing its shop in London Road, Brighton.

The firm said it was closing the branch after the government increased tax on FOBT machines (Fixed Odd Betting Terminals) in the April budget.

The machines had been targeted by fairer gambling campaigners, who described them as the "crack cocaine of gambling".

William Hill said the London Road shop will close in the early autumn.

A spokeswoman from William Hill said:  “In April we announced that 109 William Hill shops will close as a direct result of the government’s decision to raise the rate of machine games duty.

“We can confirm that 82 of those 109 shops will now close in the early autumn. The teams are undergoing a consultation process, and we will attempt to redeploy as many of those individuals as possible.

“The remaining 27 shops under review will be closed before the end of the year.”

The closing branch is the same shop that Brighton gambler John Harrison claimed he had been banned from for "winning too much".

He received a letter from William Hill telling him not to return to any of the company's shops across the UK.

Matt Zarb-Cousin, of the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, said: "It's important to note that closures are usually accompanied by new openings. In the first quarter of this year, William Hill closed eight shops but opened ten.

“If shops are shutting because of an increase in tax on fixed odds betting terminals - which are supposed to be an ancillary product - then they are relying too much on them. Bookmakers need to get back to focusing on their core business, which is taking bets over the counter."