UK Government to Scrap ‘Aim to Permit’ Rule for Betting Shops, Empowering Local Councils
UK Government to Scrap ‘Aim to Permit’ Rule for Betting Shops, Empowering Local Councils
The UK government is set to introduce a package of enforcement reforms that will give local councils significantly stronger powers over the types of businesses that can operate on Britain’s high streets. The new measures target betting shops, adult gaming centres (AGCs), and vape retailers, with the stated aim of curbing illegal activity and revitalising town centres.
What’s Changing? ‘Aim to Permit’ Scrapped and Planning Permission Required
First reported by the BBC, the government has confirmed it will repeal the long-standing ‘aim to permit’ rule for betting shops and 24-hour slot machine arcades across Great Britain. This change removes the presumption in favour of granting permission for such venues. As a result, AGCs in England that offer round-the-clock access to gambling machines will now require full planning approval before they can open.
Additionally, any new retail outlet in England wishing to sell e-cigarettes or vapes will be required to obtain planning permission prior to opening.
Prime Minister’s Strong Words
Posting on his Facebook page this morning, Prime Minister Andy Burnham called betting shops “dodgy businesses”. “We’re giving local people and councils more control over what opens, and tougher powers to crack down on businesses that aren’t good for our communities,” he wrote. “For too long, Westminster has stood by while our high streets declined. That ends now.”
The government intends to make an official announcement on these changes later today. The proposed reforms have drawn a mixed response from both industry bodies and local government representatives, with many warning that planning changes alone will not halt the broader decline in town centres.
Industry Response: Betting and Gaming Council Welcomes Enhanced Local Input
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) welcomed plans to increase local oversight over betting shops. “We support tough action against criminal operators and agree local people should have a proper say over their high streets,” said a BGC spokesperson.
However, the spokesperson pushed back against the suggestion that betting shops are proliferating unchecked. “Betting shop numbers have fallen by over a third since 2019. Around 3,000 shops have closed and over 15,000 jobs have already been lost. It is wrong to lump highly regulated, licensed betting shops together with rogue or criminal businesses. Betting shops still support 37,500 jobs, bring vital footfall to neighbouring businesses and, for many customers, are valued community hubs. The real threat to Britain’s hard-pressed high streets is more empty units and fewer local jobs, not businesses rooted in the communities they serve.”
Local Government Association: ‘A Positive Step’
The Local Government Association described the government’s approach as a “positive step” towards empowering councils to address problematic premises. “Extra powers will help councils in revitalising high streets and shaping their communities, particularly in regulating betting and vaping shops, while also breathing new life into empty premises,” said a spokesperson.
Consultant Hits Back at Comparison Between Betting Shops and Vape Shops
Compliance consultant Kirsty Caldwell, of Betsmart, criticised the government’s comparison between licensed betting shops and vape shops. “The industry pours millions into regulatory controls and consumer protection. What’s more, it seems to have been conveniently forgotten by the PM that legal betting shops have been a fixture of the UK high street since the 1960s – their presence hardly creates an ‘unrecognisable’ high street,” Caldwell wrote on her LinkedIn page.
“How can a sector, which generates circa £4 billion in tax revenue and well over 100,000 jobs nationwide, be classified alongside industries which have no regulatory control whatsoever, and have been proven time and again to be fronts for laundering illicit funds?”
The Broader Context: High Streets Losing Their Shops
The measures follow a sustained period of decline for the retail betting sector, as several leading UK operators have closed numerous shops across their estates.
Betfred, William Hill, and Ladbrokes Close Stores
In August, Betfred announced plans to close 132 of its UK betting shops and reduce its workforce by more than 600 employees, effective from September. The operator said these closures were a direct result of the UK’s Remote Gambling Duty (RGD) rise. In a statement seen by iGB, CEO Jo Whittaker said: “We have tried hard to protect all our sites and the colleagues who work in them, but the combined impact of higher employer National Insurance contributions, wage inflation, increases in gambling taxes and wider economic uncertainty has left us with no choice.”
Evoke also closed 200 of its William Hill stores in April this year for the same reason, while Ladbrokes reduced its estate size in Ireland after sale talks fell through.
Kathryn Evans covers bitesize breaking news with a primary focus on EMEA and US legislation. A proud North Walian, fluent Welsh speaker and lifelong Wrexham FC fan – long before Hollywood came calling.