Friday Politics: Deborah Heneghan says there must be a crackdown on adult gaming centres in King’s Lynn
In this week’s Friday Politics column, Labour councillor Deborah Heneghan calls for action on the growing number of adult gaming centres in town…
Adult gaming centres have been in the news in Lynn lately, with a fresh one arriving in the town centre soon. But few seem to welcome their arrival.
I am very concerned at the prospect of more of them, and feedback from residents suggests they share my concerns.
This is why, back in July, the Labour group brought a motion on gambling reform to full council asking it to support the work of Brent Council in London.
Brent, backed by over 40 councils and mayors nationally, are calling for the biggest overhaul of the Gambling Act since its creation in 2005.
We were delighted by how much support we got for our motion. Gambling addiction is an escalating national issue with serious social and economic implications.
Gambling harms affect families, public services and communities - particularly in areas that have socio-economic deprivation.
Many local authorities have seen a proliferation of betting shops, adult gaming centres and casinos on high streets - but are effectively powerless to stop it due to outdated legislation.
The problem comes from Section 153 of the Gambling Act 2005, which enshrines the ‘Aim to Permit’ principle. This requires councils to approve gambling licences where minimum criteria are met, regardless of community opposition or concerns over public health, crime or social impact.
Thus, without a change in the law, councils struggle to stop new gambling premises opening. Right now if councils refuse an application, the decision is likely to be overturned in the courts.
The surge in online gambling and wall-to-wall gambling advertising across the sporting world – on Premier League footballers’ shirts, for example - has only deepened these harms and normalised gambling in everyday life.
Gambling is a hidden addiction, but its harmful consequences are well-documented and have been linked to suicide, depression, anxiety and financial ruin.
Gambling also puts an estimated £1.77billion annual pressure on the UK economy - far above the £1billion per year that betting shops pay in tax to the Treasury.
The impact of betting shops on the look, feel and tone of our high streets is profound, and contributes significantly to the deteriorating sense of pride and status of UK town centres. I want to see vibrant, varied high streets that serve the needs of our residents.
We are not calling for an outright ban on gambling, but instead for common-sense reforms that protect vulnerable people and put power back in the hands of local leaders who know their communities best.
The good news is that the Labour Government has listened to our call, and recently the Prime Minister has said it is “important that local authorities are given additional tools and powers to ensure vibrant high streets”.
He said that cumulative impact assessments, like those already in place for alcohol licensing, will give councils stronger powers over the location and numbers of gambling outlets.
A previous Labour PM, Gordon Brown, also spoke on the issue. He called for a “child fairness guarantee”, funded in part by an online gambling tax, bringing Britain’s unusually low tax rate in line with the international average.
Gambling in the UK is an £11.5billion industry and one of the biggest in the world, but our taxation rates on the industry is one of the lowest in the west.
The Labour Party annual conference starts on Sunday, and the North West Norfolk Labour party has submitted a motion that will be debated there.
We are asking gambling giants to pay more tax could raise an extra £3billion annually, which could cover the cost of scrapping the two-child benefit cap and help to end the poverty plight of half a million children.