UK politicians urge Starmer to scrap gambling premises approval rule
A letter signed by 46 MPs, six peers and more than 200 councillors calls on Keir Starmer to abolish the UK’s “aim to permit” rule for gambling premises. The rule requires licensing authorities to favour approval of applications; the signatories say planned cumulative impact assessments would not give councils enough control. The Betting & Gaming Council cited the sector’s jobs, tax and business rates contributions and said betting shop numbers have fallen by 29% since 2019.
Scrapping the rule would change how local authorities assess applications for betting shops and adult gaming centres.