Forum topic: MP continuing efforts to curb spread of gambling establishments as licence is issued for new PG gaming centre

Green Lanes Adult Gaming Centre update

My objections to the licence application focused on two key reasons: prevention of crime and protection of children and vulnerable persons.

The Council Licencing Team has responded to these two points and you can read part of the response I received below.

Preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime:

As these premises have not yet opened, there is no evidence that they are the source of any crime and disorder. Speculative views cannot be considered. General crime and disorder issues have been raised about Palmers Green, but these cannot be attributed to the new premises. Furthermore, the crime and disorder that needs to be proven must be as a result of the gambling activity itself for it to be considered.

Protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling:

The number of nearby schools and child friendly facilities have been highlighted in the emails submitted. The applicant has identified most of these in their risk assessment, any additional areas raised will be passed to the applicant to include in an updated risk assessment. The simple fact that children will pass the premises, and there are schools and other child friendly facilities in the area, is not sufficient to object to the whole application.

High Stakes: Gambling Act Review timetable

Back in early 2021, Merkur Slots obtained permission to open a 24 hour Adult Gaming Centre in the heart of Palmers Green at 292/292a Green Lanes, N13 close to several existing betting shops. As many will remember, there was a huge local campaign objecting to these new premises, including a petition signed by over 4,700 people.

However, given the limited powers to refuse gambling premises licences, Enfield Council was unable to prevent these premises opening.

At that same time, the Government was undertaking a review of the Gambling Act 2005, and taking submissions until the end of March 2021.

I encouraged those who contacted me to respond to that Review and to raise the issue of enhanced powers for local licensing authorities when considering gambling premises licences, to enable them to take into account local factors, such as a clustering of gambling premises in the area. And to bring the licensing process into line with that for applications for premises selling alcohol.

Unfortunately, it took the Government over two years to respond to the Review, with its White Paper published on 27 April 2023:

Link to the white paper High Stakes: Gambling reforms for the digital age

In the meantime, and before any reforms to the system have been made, we now have yet another Adult Gaming Centre licence to contend with.

It is a testament to the local strength of feeling on this issue that the Gambling Act Review White Paper's analysis of the submissions made acknowledged the participation of 98 Enfield residents in a “campaign that raised concerns about the opening of an Adult Gaming Centre in Enfield, stating that further powers were required for Local Authorities”. This amounted to 15% of responses that came from identifiable campaigns.

You can view this reference below.

The White Paper states several times that the Government will introduce primary legislation to bring the licensing regime into line with that for alcohol by legislating to introduce a formal system of Cumulative Impact Assessments (CIAs) “when Parliamentary time allows.”

A Cumulative Impact Assessment would enable local licensing authorities to take into account local information, such as statistics on local crime and anti social behaviour, health and environmental health.

Whilst this would help in making an effective challenge to a gambling premises licence application, I am concerned by the vague commitment to introduce this legislation “when Parliamentary time allows”.

While the Government delays the introduction of legislation to reform gambling, our high streets remain at risk of even more gambling premises opening. Local businesses and residents are working to improve the local high street area and develop family friendly spaces, but their efforts are undermined by the continued growth in gambling premises in the area.

I have therefore written to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport asking her to commit to a timetable for the introduction of this legislation as soon as possible. You can read my letter in full below.