English councils call for FOBT stakes reduction

Newham Council said it is concerned about the number of betting shops on high streets, and notes that a Campaign for Fairer Gambling report earlier this year found that in the 55 most deprived areas of England there are double the number of betting shops compared to the 115 most affluent localities

Sir Robin Wales, the Mayor of Newham, said: “We are fighting hard to ensure that high streets up and down the country are not dominated by betting shops who are solely concerned with making a quick buck on a computer roulette-wheel.

"In Newham we have tried to curb the rise in the number of betting shops, especially those chain stores who try to maximize their profits through fixed odds betting terminals, but our battle with the betting shops has been thwarted by the lack of tough regulations and the toothless court system.

"We are now taking the next step. Some 92 councils, of all political parties, have signed up to our Sustainable Communities Act, the largest number ever, to urge government to bring an end to casino-style gambling on the high street, and prevent betting shops from clustering and destroying our shopping districts, especially in deprived areas."

The SCA became law in 2007 and set up a new process of governance where councils can drive central government action and policy to "assist councils in promoting the sustainability of local communities".

Following the submission of the SCA proposal, the Government will need to respond within a year, which will fall before the start of the its triennial review into stakes and prizes of gaming machines

Earlier this year Newham Council supported Hackney Council’s SCA submission calling for the introduction of a separate planning class for betting shops, which the government consulted on over the summer.

Newham itself has 86 betting shop premises licenses and there has been an increase of almost 30% since 2007. It refused a license for a Paddy Power shop in 2013, but the ruling was overturned at a magistrates' court.