Local Councils and authority leaders have urged the UK Government to reconsider providing them with extra powers to deal with betting shops. The demands have been provoked by a recent research which indicated that people who lived near betting shops clusters were more susceptible to gambling problems.
According to the results of the study, people who live within 400 metres of a betting shops cluster were more likely to get addicted to gambling activities in comparison to people who live in areas where there are fewer betting shops. A total of 28% of the people living in such areas have been reported as betting shop loyalty card holders, compared to 22% of those who are less exposed to such betting shops clusters.
The local authorities suggest that the betting shop clusters must be associated with particular risks for citizens’ well-being. The above-mentioned research also showed that about 18% of people who suffer from problem gambling in the UK have debts that range from £20,000 to £100,000.
The information revealed made the Local Government Association (LGA) to urge local councils to be entitled with powers similar to the ones that the Crime Bill and the Police have. According to LGA, they should be given the power to reject new betting shops applications at places where there already are clusters.
In addition, the Local Government Association asked for a reduction of the maximum stake on fixed odd betting terminals, known under the abbreviation FOBTs, which currently amounts to £100.
The Mayor of Newham Sir Robin Wales even called for the maximum stake to be reduced from £100 to £2 a spin. Several local authorities, including Newham Council, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Local Government Associaton are due to have another meeting on Wednesday to discuss the problem.
The licensing spokesman of the LGA Councillor Tony Page commented on the Association’s demands saying that the lack of powers of local councils to reduce the number of high-street betting shops are simply frustrating. He also shared that the harmful impact of betting shops clusters on local high streets had long been discussed by the Councils and the LGA, but it was the research that clearly showed the risks betting shops clusters hide for people.
According to Mr. Page, it is essential for the local councils to have the change to reduce the growth of further clusters of betting shops considering the rates of problem gambling behaviour among people who live in areas with increased number of betting shops.
- Author
Daniel Williams
