Spelthorne Borough Council joins calls to reform gambling laws

At its Full Council meeting on Thursday 17 July, councillors voted to support a national campaign led by Brent Council, urging the Government to modernise the Gambling Act 2005. The motion proposed by Cllr Harry Boparai and seconded by Cllr Katherine Rutherford calls for councils to be granted powers to implement stronger safeguards to better protect communities from gambling-related harm and to work with local health and voluntary sector partners to signpost residents to gambling addiction support and education initiatives.

Cllr Harry Boparai said:

"Compulsive gambling is destroying lives. 650 people, mostly young, took their own lives last year as a result of gambling. I have personally witnessed desperate-looking people lose thousands of pounds in minutes in betting shops. Unfortunately, local authorities are currently powerless to act to protect communities from the destructive effects of compulsive gambling. Therefore, I am delighted that Spelthorne Council has adopted my proposal to support Brent Council's campaign to reform gambling laws."

Cllr Katherine Rutherford said:

"Gambling addiction is no longer a fringe issue; it's a growing public health crisis. Every week, more families in our community are affected by the rise of Adult Gaming Centres, betting shops and casinos, often concentrated in our most vulnerable areas. Yet councils like ours remain largely powerless under outdated legislation. Spelthorne is standing with others to demand meaningful reform of the Gambling Act, so local authorities can safeguard resident's wellbeing and restore accountability. This isn't about morality, it's about public health, local control, and shielding the vulnerable from harm."

Their full speeches can be heard on our You Tube channel here (1hr.15min).   from 1 hour 17 mins to I hour 23 mins. (6 minutes altogether)

The coalition of councils is advocating for a six-point reform plan, including:

• placing all gambling premises within a single planning use class to give councils more control over local development
• requiring local authorities to consider health and social impacts when making licensing decisions
• introducing a statutory levy on gambling operators to fund treatment and education related to gambling harm
• implementing stricter controls on gambling advertising and promotions

The joint call has been formally submitted in a letter to the new Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy.

Councillors highlighted growing concerns from residents about the increase of betting shops and gambling venues on high streets, and the risks to public health, financial wellbeing, and community safety. According to the Health Survey for England 2021, around half of all adults reported gambling in the previous year. Public Health England has also estimated that one person dies every day in the UK as a result of gambling-related harm.

Leader of Spelthorne Borough Council, Councillor Joanne Sexton, said:

"Our residents are being affected by the growing number of gambling venues. We're not calling for a full ban, but we do believe the laws need urgent change to better protect people. While we're taking all the steps we can, there's still more to be done - but it requires partnership working. Be in no doubt, all councillors in Spelthorne are united in our desire to reform the Gambling Act 2005, to ensure it is fit for purpose in protecting our most vulnerable residents."

Read the letter 

.