Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Social Housing presented a report on the Adoption of the Gambling Policy 2019- 2022. The Council, as the local licensing authority for gaming and betting, was required to have in place a statement of the principles (a ‘policy’) which must be reviewed in accordance with a statutory three-year cycle. The Council first published a gambling licensing policy in 2007 and a further review was now due in order to keep the Council’s policy in line with the statutory review cycle. Given that the Council’s Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy was the subject of a full detailed mid-term review in 2017, only minimal changes were proposed in the report, which were considered necessary in order to reflect the latest developments in gambling licensing law and guidance.

The proposed changes to the Policy included the maximum stake permissible in category B2 machines being reduced from £100 to £2 and the number of these machines being restricted to a maximum of four per shop, both of which came into effect from April 2019. Other changes were being proposed to reflect best practice, as recommended by the Gambling Commission, related to the level of detail in plans submitted with new applications, and the need for premises to include their staff when completing risk assessments that accompanied applications.

Responding to the report, Members spoke about the harmful and damaging impact that gambling had particularly on young people, recognising the need for policies to protect them, seeking to strike a balance between allowing legitimate gambling and protecting the most vulnerable in society, although online gambling remained a problem and was less regulated.

The Leader referred to the Council’s role in supporting Newham Council in lobbying the government to introduce the maximum £2 stake in category B2 machines. Whilst the change was welcomed questions were raised as to the impact of “clustering” of bookmakers to negate the effect of the change in the maximum stake. It was acknowledged by the Cabinet Member that at this early stage it was difficult to assess the longer-term impact. It was suggested therefore that the Policy and Strategy may need tweaking in future in the light of the changes. 

The Assembly resolved to adopt the revised Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy 2019-2022, as set out in Appendix A of the report.

The Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety presented a report on the Council’s Gambling Licensing Policy 2019 - 2022.

The Cabinet Member advised that the Council, as the local licensing authority for gaming and betting, was required to have in place a statement of the principles (a ‘policy’) which must be reviewed in accordance with a statutory three-year cycle. Given that the Council’s Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy was the subject of a full detailed mid-term review in 2017, only minimal changes were proposed in the new Policy in order to reflect the latest developments in gambling licensing law and guidance.

The proposed changes to the Policy included the maximum stake permissible in category B2 machines being reduced from £100 to £2 ,and the number of these machines being restricted to a maximum of four per shop. The other changes being proposed related to the level of detail in premises’ plans and risk assessments submitted with new applications, to reflect best practice, as recommended by the Gambling Commission.

Cabinet Members noted the Council’s role in supporting Newham Council lobby the Government to introduce a maximum £2 stake in category B2 machines and were pleased that this had led to a successful outcome. They spoke in support of the proposed amendments to the Policy, recognising the significant negative impact gambling addiction often had on individuals and their families, the wider community (as premises often attracted anti-social behaviour) and the cost to society in terms of imprisonment, unemployment and homelessness.

Cabinet resolved to recommend the Assembly to adopt the revised Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy 2019-2022, as set out in Appendix A of the report.