CI urges No. 10 to tackle ‘gambling scourge’

The Christian Institute is calling on the Prime Minister to update gambling law and improve protections for the vulnerable.

In a letter to Andy Burnham, Institute Director Ciarán Kelly asked for “quick, effective action” to restrict gambling advertising, stop the industry’s grooming of children to gamble, and reduce the stake limit for all online gambling.

According to the Gambling Commission, an estimated 1.3 million British adults were classed as problem gamblers last year. Reported consequences included relationship breakdown, suicidal thoughts, cutting spending on everyday items and missing work.

‘Ignored warnings’

Mr Kelly told the Prime Minister: “When the Gambling Act 2005 was working its way through Parliament, The Christian Institute worked hard to try to stop some of the worst aspects of the legislation. We warned of the damage that would come from deregulation. Those warnings were ignored and, sadly, our predictions have come true.”

“Gambling leaves far too many people locked into a spiral of debt and anxiety, significantly affecting both them and those they love. It is a major social problem.”

While he thanked the Government for lowering maximum stakes for online slots and introducing financial checks for problem gamblers, he called for more action against “this scourge on society”.

‘Changing lives’

Andy Burnham is making changes already, with Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross expected to be replaced by Vicky Foxcroft MP. Foxcroft has previously said she would “support a ban on gambling advertising in live sport” and is “committed to pressing for further improvements to gambling regulation”.

And earlier this week, the Government announced plans to scrap the rule known as “aim to permit”, which obliges local authorities not to reject applications for new gambling venues.

Dawn Butler MP, who campaigned on the issue, said: “For years, councils have been told that they have to say ‘yes’ to betting shops.” But now, she said, local authorities will be given “the power to say no”. The decision, she explained, would “change people’s lives and our high streets”.

Analysis by The Guardian newspaper has found that slot machine shops target deprived communities, with a third of them open in the poorest ten per cent of Britain and over half in the poorest 20 per cent.