Separating the reality of the betting industry from the manufactured myth

PoliticsHome readers will have noticed that the Campaign for Fairer Gambling is supplying a string of one-sided news articles about betting shops.

The latest article, on the subject of planning and licensing control, seeks to create the impression that local councils are devoid of powers to regulate the spread of betting shops.

It uses data in a highly selective way to support its position.

The reality is that betting shops were legalised in 1961 to deal with illegal street gambling in inner city areas. They cater for demand which would otherwise be accommodated by illegal supply. What has changed is the type of gambling medium which is popular with customers.

This fundamental principle of good gambling regulation holds good today. One does not reduce demand by choking off regulated supply.

The business model relies on demand, footfall, affordable rents and population density with operators having the flexibility to open and close shops to adjust to market demand and changing demographics.

When the Gambling Act was introduced, it was recognised that gambling was a controversial subject and the Act was deliberately constructed on the basis that only bona fide operators, whose suitability had been assessed by the Gambling Commission, should be permitted to open premises; absent evidence of clear harm.

The industry recognises that there are concerns about clustering of betting shops. However, only the most unreasonable would suggest that individuals should exercise arbitrary political power at a local level without proper rights of appeal.

Operators are now closing uneconomic shops and even in the London Borough of Hackney, where Mayor Jules Pipe has long spoken out against betting shops, the number of bookmakers has actually gone down since the Gambling Act came into force.

Andrew Lyman, Head of Public Affairs and UK Compliance at William Hill said: “We employ 13,000 people in our retail estate and provide many local jobs. This week we will be celebrating with our long servers (25 and 40 years). Many people have built long term careers in a socially responsible business that provides a vital social function in local communities. Politicians should think first about our people before imposing further unreasonable costs and regulatory burdens on our business model.”