Legislation
UK – Use class change will see local councils reject LBO applications
By Phil - 8 May 2014
Bookies who want to open up on British high street will have to submit a planning application with local councils given new powers to reject applications and prevent new Licensed Betting Offices (LBO) opening in their area.
The move by the DCMS follows concerns from local communities regarding the proliferation of betting shops on some high streets.
The current system sees a betting shop placed in the same category as a bank or estate agent meaning they can open without the need for a planning application when a premises becomes free. The changes to the use classes will mean that local councils can scrutinise the applications and refuse them where there are grounds to do so.
DCMS Minister Helen Grant said: “We want there to be a gambling sector that is vibrant and responsible. The Government wants to make sure the industry is putting player protection and social responsibility at the heart of their businesses.”
Planning Minister Nick Boles said: “This Government is taking action to support healthy and vibrant local high streets. This is part of a wider set of measures designed to get empty and redundant buildings back into productive use and make it easier for valued town centre businesses like shops, banks and cafés to open new premises, while giving councils greater powers to tackle the harm to local amenity caused by a concentration of particular uses.”
Communities Minister Stephen Williams said: “Across the country many people are concerned about the explosion in the number of betting shops in some high streets. The Coalition Government is determined to build a stronger economy and a fairer society with healthy and diverse high streets that aren’t dominated by betting shops, this is why we are now giving councils tough new powers to prevent the proliferation of betting shops in their area.”
On top of the planning changes the Government is seeking a step change from the industry to put measures to protect players at the heart of their businesses and is looking at controls on gambling advertising. These include: It wants betting firms to prove how they are complying with social responsibility codes when they apply for a license. It also wants to ensure that controls on gambling advertising provide enough protection – especially to children and the vulnerable. It has said it wants to work with the industry to explore how a Think 25 initiative could help prevent under age access to gambling.
The Government has also set out plans for improved player protection measures on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs). New measures include requiring FOBT customers who want to bet over £50 in one play to pay over the counter before they can begin to play meaning that they have to interact with staff. Rules will be changed so that at the start of play machine users must be presented with a choice to set limits on how much they want to spend and how long they want to play for. Larger operators will be encouraged to offer customer accounts so that players can track and monitor their spend via statements. This will provide regular warning messages and pauses in play to encourage players to be more aware of their gambling. The government also wants to improve the voluntary self-exclusion system so that players can make a single request to be banned from betting shops on a wider basis.
