A bid is being made to reduce the maximum stakes on casino-style betting machines in bookmakers.

Brighton and Hove City Council is asking ministers to reduce the maximum stake on Fixed Odd Betting Terminals (FOBTs) from £100 a spin every 20 seconds to just £2.

The machines, nicknamed the ‘crack cocaine of gambling’, let players wage thousands of pounds in one sitting on games like virtual roulette.

FOBTs made up more than half of bookmakers’ profits last year.

Now 93 councils across the UK, led by Newham in London, have lodged a Sustainable Communities Act proposal with the Department for Communities and Local Government seeking a clampdown on the machines.

The Sustainable Communities Act, which became law in 2007, allows councils to ask central government to assist in “promoting the sustainability of local communities”.

Brighton and Hove City Council joins Manchester, Liverpool, Southampton and Birmingham councils in the proposal.

Councillor Jason Kitcat, leader of Brighton and Hove, said: “Our main concern is with premises allowing children to gamble and also the welfare of vulnerable adults. “We are reviewing our licensing policy for gambling premises with a view to making sure that we do as much as we can to protect these two groups.”

A Campaign for Fairer Gambling spokesman said: “It would be irresponsible of the government to ignore so many local authorities which are calling for a stake reduction on FOBTs.

“Councils are on the front line in having to deal with the consequences of high stake, high speed casino gambling on the high street.

“If Government really backs localism, it will reduce the maximum stake on FOBTs to £2."