Betting firms are installing Artificial Intelligence (AI) on all gaming machines which spots addictive behaviour and switches them off to stop punters playing.

The Anonymous Player Awareness System (APAS) tracks a player’s behaviour second by second looking for evidence of them chasing losses, playing erratically, speeding up or spending too long on the machine.

If the algorithm finds the player is taking risks, they are locked out of it for a “cooling off period” of at least 30 seconds while managers are alerted. Safer gambling warnings are immediately displayed on the machine’s screen to the customer.

The technology has been introduced by the newly-formed Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) in an attempt to head off mounting concerns over the growing number of addicts including thousands of children and the prospect of tougher legislation.