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

Following the issuing of a licence allowing use of a former bank building in the centre of Palmers Green as an adult gaming centre, Bambos Charalambous MP has written to the culture secretary urging her to speed up legislation to help reduce the proliferation of gambling premises on the country's high streets.

we can stop this anti gambling premises collage

Despite the submission of many objections by local residents and the collection of more than 1200 signatures to an online petition, Enfield Council has granted a licence to Palace Amusements for the operation of an adult gaming centre in the premises in Green Lanes formerly used by Lloyds Bank.

The council had little choice other than to bow to the reality of the situation that local authorities find themselves in when trying to block the spread of gambling establishments, as both council and residents discovered two years ago in the case of Merkur Slots.

However, Palace Amusements still need to obtain planning permission for the change of use, so campaigners have not entirely abandoned hope of success.

In his most recent email newsletter to constituents, Enfield Southgate MP Bambos Charalambous shared the response that he received from the council's licensing team after he objected to the licence application, which dismisses concerns about crime and disorder or the effects on schoolchildren:

"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. [...] 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."

On the wider issue of gambling industry reform, he highlighted the fact that submissions by Palmers Green residents, in the wake of the Merkur Slots controversy, are directly referenced in the Gambling Act Review White Paper.

Local businesses and residents groups in Palmers Green have worked hard to improve the local shopping area and develop family friendly spaces, but their efforts are being undermined by the continued growth in gambling in the area.

Bambos Charalambous MP in a letter to the culture secretary, Lucy Frazer

Bambos also includes the text of a letter sent to the culture secretary urging her to bring forward legislation as soon as possible that would treat applications for gambling licences similarly to applications for alcohol licences, using "cumulative impact assessments" rather than treating each application independently, and pointing out that the spread of gambling establishments is disrupting work to improve local high streets:

"Local businesses and residents groups in Palmers Green have worked hard to improve the local shopping area and develop family friendly spaces, but their efforts are being undermined by the continued growth in gambling in the area."

Extracts from Latest News from Bambos Charalambous MP 11 August 2023

Since my last update, the consultation for the new adult gaming centre in Green Lanes has closed and the Council has now issued a licence for the premises.

This is disappointing news. On behalf of local residents, I lodged my objections to this licence application last month as I am extremely concerned about what another adult gaming centre will mean for our high street and for residents.

However, we know that local authorities have very limited powers to refuse gambling premises licences. Many of you will remember the huge local campaign to stop Merkur Slots from opening a 24 hour Adult Gaming Centre in the heart of Palmers Green in 2021, and the outcome of this campaign.

Following the licence being granted, the next stage of the process will be a planning application for the new Adult Gaming Centre premises. As soon as I am aware that the application has been lodged, I will alert constituents so that objections can be made.

You can read more about my objections, an update from the council licencing team and my letter to the Culture Secretary about the Gambling Review below.

Green Lanes Adult Gaming Centre update - click here to read

High Stakes: Gambling Act Review timetable - click here to read

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.

Specific campaigns

During the call for evidence period, we also noted a number of submissions from members of the public which came as part of coordinated campaigns on various specific issues. These were normally in the form of templated albeit sometimes personalised letters. While these often covered issues which had been raised in the direct submissions considered above, we categorised them into campaigns where the wording used in each submission was nearly identical. There were 631 responses to the call for evidence which came from 5 identifiable campaigns.

Football Index: A campaign which focused on the collapse of BetIndex Ltd (the providers of Football Index), calling for an independent investigation of the circumstances of the collapse and redress for customers. The collapse happened in the final weeks of the call for evidence period.
Enfield: A campaign that raised concerns about the opening of an Adult Gaming Centre in Enfield, stating that further powers were required for Local Authorities.
Skilled betting: This campaign made a distinction between different forms of gambling and highlighted that ‘skilled’ betting should be considered differently to ‘unskilled’.
Against gambling advertising: A campaign highlighting the harms of gambling advertising and calling for it to end.

Horse racing and affordability: A campaign that raised concerns about the potential impact of onerous financial risk checks on the viability of horse racing.

Figure 32. Breakdown of submissions received as part of a campaign

Respondent type	Number of submissions	Percentage for each campaign
Football index	476	75.4%
Enfield AGC	98	15.5%
Skilled betting	14	2.2%
Against gambling advertising	27	4.3%
Horse racing and affordability	16	2.5%
Total	631	100%

(Source: www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-stakes-gambling-reform-for-the-digital-age/high-stakes-gambling-reform-for-the-digital-age#annexb)

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.

The Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC MP
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Department for Culture Media & Sport

BY EMAIL ONLY

Our Ref BC42706 2 August 2023

Dear Lucy

HIGH STAKES: GAMBLING REFORM FOR THE DIGITAL AGE

In early 2021 Merkur Slots obtained permission to open a 24 hour Adult Gaming Centre on the heart of the Palmers Green shopping area at 292/292a Green Lanes, N13. At the time there was a large campaign objecting to these new prernises, close by several existing betting shops. However as Local Authorities have limited powers to refuse gambling premises licences, Enfield Council were unable to prevent these premises opening.

The review of the Gambling Act 2006 was taking place at the same time. Many of my constituents responded to the Review requesting enhanced powers for local licensing authorities when considering gambling premises licences. Specifically to enable local authorities to take local factors into account and to bring the process into line with that for applications for premises selling alcohol

It is testament to the local strength of feeling on this issue that the 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".

It is regrettable that it took the Government over two years to publish the White Paper and that reform is still awaited, as now a second Adult Gaming Centre is seeking to open very close to the Merkur Slots premises much to the dismay of local residents.

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

Whilst this is a welcome development I am very concerned at the vague commitment to introduce this legislation 'when Parliamentary time allows'. While the Government delays reform our high streets remain at risk of increasing numbers of gambling premises opening in close proximity. Local businesses and residents groups in Palmers Green have worked hard to improve the local shopping area and develop family friendly spaces, but their efforts are being undermined by the continued growth in gambling in the area.

I urge you to commit to a timetable for the introduction of this legislation as soon as possible. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Bambos