Military chiefs have been accused of allowing a ‘secret epidemic' of gambling addiction to fester after they refused to remove betting machines from Army bases.

MPs have demanded assurances the Ministry of Defence is not profiting from the losses of low-paid troops amid a growing outcry.

It is feared there are hundreds of slots in barracks putting soldiers, who are far from home, at risk of losing thousands of pounds.

This is despite rules, known as the Queen's Regulations, stating that all forms of gambling are banned on bases and ships.

The betting machines are allowed under an exemption to the rules, which gives the commanding officer the discretion to allow ‘a lottery, sweepstake or other gambling'.

Veterans first demanded that betting machines be removed from bases in 2016.

Earlier this month a minister told the House of Lords that the Army was in the process of removing the machines but, in a sign of chaos over the policy, retracted the statement on Friday.

The MoD has repeatedly refused to tell parliamentarians how many betting terminals there are in bases, or reveal if the military is profiting from troops' losses.

Veterans are ten times more likely to struggle with problem gambling than non-veterans in the UK, researchers found.

Those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are deemed to be particularly susceptible to a gambling addiction.

Tory MP Richard Holden, a member of the public accounts committee, said: ‘It beggars belief that, given all the evidence of the incredible harm caused, https://accommodation-wanaka.com/ the Army is still refusing to ban these machines from military bases.

‘The MoD must assure MPs it is not making money from our brave soldiers who put their lives on the line to keep us safe.'

Carolyn Harris MP, the Labour chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on gambling harm, said: ‘I fear there is a secret epidemic of gambling addiction in our Forces.

'It is disgraceful that the Army may be profiting from betting machines placed in the middle of social areas.

‘This should have been dealt with years ago.'

The Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Dr Alan Smith, who represents the Church of England on gambling matters, said: ‘I am gravely disappointed to hear that the Government has reversed their previous promise to remove gambling machines from Army bases.'