The UK government is planning reforms to expand the power of local councils to block new betting shops, the BBC reported.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the changes would give councils more authority to veto new establishments, especially on high streets.
Proposed changes
The main proposal is to abolish the permission principle, a rule that currently limits councils' action on applications for new betting shops and 24-hour slot machine shops.
It also includes requiring planning permission for new adult gaming centers with machines accessible at any time. The measure would apply only in England, while the end of the permission rule would reach the entire UK.
Burnham also mentioned changes to urban planning for e-cigarette or vape shops.
During Keir Starmer's tenure, the permission principle faced criticism. Activists called it outdated and linked it to the expansion of betting shops and slot machines in some regions.
Industry reaction
After Burnham's statements, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) said it supports strict measures against criminal operators and agreed that local people should participate in decisions about commerce in their communities. The body, however, rejected the idea that betting shops are growing without control.
“The number of betting shops has fallen by more than a third since 2019. Around 3,000 shops have closed and more than 15,000 jobs have already been lost,” the BGC said.
For the council, it is “wrong to put highly regulated and licensed betting shops on the same level as illegal or criminal businesses.”
Sector in decline
According to the UK Gambling Commission, the country had 8,234 gambling establishments on March 31, 2025, of which 5,825 were betting shops and 1,415 were adult gaming centers.
Betfred opened a consultation that could result in the closure of 132 shops in the UK. Evoke announced in April the closure of about 200 William Hill branches. In both cases, the companies cited higher taxes and economic pressure.
The sector also faces new rules: the Gambling Commission said it would move forward with financial risk assessments for online players, and the Remote Gaming Tax increased in April.
