The leader of a North London council has rallied 38 local authorities together to fight gambling companies which he says appear to be targeting deprived areas. A cross-party group of councils has written to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport urging the Government to give them more power to ‘beat the bookies’, saying they are ‘effectively powerless’ to stop new sites springing up.
Brent Council is leading a coalition of 38 local authorities across the country – including 17 London boroughs – calling for more powers to refuse applications for gambling licences. In a letter addressed to Lisa Nandy MP, the signatories claim constituencies are ‘bearing the social and fiscal consequences’ of outdated legislation, which ‘threatens the fabric of local government’.
Council Leader, Cllr Muhammed Butt, says communities in Brent are experiencing a ‘groundswell of gambling operators’ popping up on high streets, seemingly targeting areas of higher deprivation ‘in a bid to maximise profits’. Despite huge opposition from residents, the police, and politicians, Cllr Butt claims councils are ‘effectively powerless to intervene’ and wants the Gambling Act 2025 to be reformed.
The coalition of councils and local politicians combined represent around 12 million people across the UK. Some notable signatories include the Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, and the leaders of Glasgow and Westminster councils. They claim the statutory Aim to Permit duty severely limits a council’s ability to prevent the opening of new gambling venues and, in turn, protect vulnerable residents from the associated harms.
Brent has the second-highest number of betting premises out of all the London boroughs with 81 venues, which includes betting shops, bingo halls, and adult gaming centres. This is also one of the highest concentrations in the UK, and outnumbers essential services such as supermarkets, banks, job centres and GP surgeries.
There are six gambling premises within a 600-metre stretch on Harlesden High Street alone – with a seventh to follow later this year – in an area which has an average household income of £23,977 per year, significantly below the London average of £47,500, according to Brent Council.
The harmful consequences of gambling have been linked to a range of social and public health issues, including suicidality, depression, anxiety, and financial ruin. A study from Bristol University found that betting shops were ten times more likely to be found in deprived towns, however, under current legislation, councils are not able to reject an application based solely on public health grounds.
Cllr Butt said: “I am proud that we have joined forces with 38 councils and combined authorities today, representing over 12 million people up and down the country impacted by outdated legislation on gambling.”
He added: “There’s too much on the line to ignore the harms of betting shops on Britain’s high streets, but our hands are effectively tied by a law no longer fit for purpose. Brent’s Six Point Plan for Change is our blueprint for reform, and we look forward to working with our coalition of councils and the Government to put our asks into action.”
Brent Council’s Six Point Plan for Change
- Reform the Aim to Permit policy and allow local authorities to reject applications that threaten the community’s welfare and safety
- Include bingo halls and adult gaming centres in the same planning category as bookmakers so caps cannot be by-passed by splitting premises
- Allow councils to consider local household debt levels when evaluating planning applications for high street casinos
- Create a statutory levy on gambling operators for research, education, and treatment through an independent public body
- Prohibit gambling advertising, promotion, and sponsorship to prevent exposure
- Review the spin speed and excess staking levels on gambling machines
Grant Williams is a journalist and Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) for Reach PLC, reporting on local government, politics and community issues across London. As part of the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he has contributed to Harrow Online, covering council decisions, housing developments, transport, planning matters and stories affecting local communities across Harrow and Brent.
