Gambling centres ‘clustered’ in disadvantaged areas of the UK

Half of the UK’s grownup gaming centres are located in its most deprived neighbourhoods, BBC analysis suggests.

Open for as much as 24 hours a day, the centres (AGCs) host automated gaming machines that may pay jackpots price a whole lot of kilos. Gambling Commission information reveals 664 of about 1,400 such premises are within the high 20% of disadvantaged areas.

Anna Hargrave, CEO of charity Gamble Aware, stated the clustering of AGCs was “concerning” and people residing in deprived communities had been twice as prone to expertise playing hurt.

Trade affiliation BACTA, which represents the playing business, stated whereas operators didn’t goal these areas, they did “invest in high streets that need regeneration”.

Earlier this yr, council leaders petitioned authorities for reforms to the “aim to permit” obligation of the Gambling Act 2005, which requires councils to approve playing licences wherever minimal standards are met, no matter opposition.

Campaigners imagine the coverage restricts native authorities from stopping the expansion of AGCs.

Kings Lynn councillor Deborah Heneghan stated there have been 4 such companies in her small ward.

Accusing the gaming business of focusing on disadvantaged areas, she stated the venues had been having a profound impression on communities and altering the “look, feel and tone” of excessive streets throughout the nation.

A Gambling Commission spokesman stated the granting of premises licences was the remit of native licensing authorities.

He stated “when parliamentary time allows”, the federal government would introduce powers to allow these authorities to conduct cumulative impression assessments.

The new measures will permit native authorities to find out whether or not the cumulative impression of the quantity or density of playing premises undermines licensing targets.

Recovering playing addict Charlie Barker stated easy accessibility to a number of AGCs had had a big impression on his life.

The 33-year-old stated there had been “five or six” gaming venues on his doorstep when he lived in a flat above a city sq..

The proximity had made it tough for him to interrupt away when he realised he had develop into a “problematic gambler”, he stated.

Mr Barker, who misplaced most of an inheritance and his house on account of his habit, stated the toll on his psychological well being had been huge.

He added: “Even when I was getting wins, I wasn’t walking away with them.

“Gambling is glamorised and the continued cycle of promotion and outlets opening all over the place must cease.”

The Local Government Association said councils needed “versatile powers” and the ability to refuse applications for gambling premises near schools, health services and other “delicate areas”.

However, Allastar Gair, communications director at BACTA, said local authorities already had the power to refuse applications where they believed licensing objectives would be undermined.

He said the sector was “tightly regulated” and continuing to raise standards through “strengthened methods, higher coaching and visual safer playing measures”.

Mr Gair added: “A brand new AGC doesn’t open with no full licensing course of, council oversight and an in depth danger evaluation.

“Operators do not target deprived areas; they take on long term empty units and invest in high streets that need regeneration.”

A spokesman from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government stated the federal government was dedicated to giving councils the ability to restrict playing outlets.

He added: “We’ll do everything we can to halt the decline people are seeing in their towns and high streets.”

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