Residents say ‘too many gambling shops’ opening in one of London’s poorest boroughs

Residents have warned councillors that there are “too many gambling shops” in their area, with one saying you “can’t go 100 metres” without coming across one.

There are “too many gambling shops” in Barking and Dagenham, residents have said, with one saying you “can’t go 100 metres” in Barking without coming across one.

The council is preparing to bring in tougher policies governing gambling premises licences, after a consultation revealed a “significant level of concern” about the number of betting shops across the borough.

One resident told the consultation that gambling stores were “everywhere you go in Barking”, arguing that shops were being placed there because it is one of London’s poorest areas. Another complained that there were “to[o] many gambling shops in the borough open all hours”.

But the gambling industry has pushed back against the concerns, describing betting as a “hugely popular British leisure activity” which supports the UK’s “hard-pressed high streets”.

The council is set to update its gambling policy with changes it says will focus “more on preventing harm and improving public health” and will protect “areas experiencing high deprivation”. Councillors and staff use the policy to help them make decisions on applications for gambling premises licences.

There are currently 42 betting shops, adult gaming centres and bingo halls in the borough, according to council figures.

Of these, eleven are clustered around Barking town centre and five around Heathway in Dagenham.

The council’s draft licensing policy says Barking town centre has “high levels of poverty” and is “the area of the borough with the highest crime rate” while Heathway is “one of our most impoverished areas”.

Fourteen residents responded to an online consultation on the proposed changes. The council says their responses showed “a significant level of concern about the number of betting shops within the borough”.

One resident told the consultation: “Barking is one of the poorest boroughs in London, one of the most deprived boroughs, one of the boroughs that claims the most benefits, yet everywhere you go in Barking, you see gambling stores.

“You can’t go 100 metres without coming across a gambling shop, and it’s all being placed there because they know Barking’s one of the poorest boroughs.”

Other responses said the council should stop issuing new gambling premises licences, or even close existing betting shops down.

However a representation on behalf of the Betting and Gaming Council – which represents the gambling industry – said betting shops contribute to town centre economies.

It said: “Betting shops alone support 42,000 jobs on the UK’s hard-pressed high streets, contributing £800million a year in tax to the Treasury and another £60million in business rates to local councils.”

The statement – by law firm Gosschalks – added that the “overwhelming majority” of gamblers “do so perfectly safely and responsibly”.

The council says it wants to make sure its gambling policy “strikes the right balance” between supporting the local economy and entertainment, and protecting residents from gambling harm.

However, it also says it wants to “move from a mainly licensing-based approach to one that focuses on preventing harm and improving public health”.

Changes to the policy include asking businesses to show how they would “mitigate local risks associated with gambling premises, particularly within areas experiencing higher levels of deprivation” when applying for new gambling licenses.

However, the council says it can only refuse to grant a premises licence if it would undermine any of the objectives in licensing law.

These are preventing crime and disorder, ensuring gambling is conducted in a fair an open away, and protecting children and other vulnerable people from harm.

Councillors are set to consider the new policy at a licensing and regulatory committee meeting next Thursday (3rd September).