Pressure mounts for end to “aim to permit” rule for British betting shops and gaming halls
Some 46 MPs and 200 councillors have signed a letter to Keir Starmer calling for the 2005 rule to be scrapped.
UK.- Pressure continues to mount on prime minister Keir Starmer to abolish a rule that limits local authorities’ ability to block the opening of new betting shops and 24‑hour slot‑machine venues on high streets. Close to 300 politicians and campaigners have signed a letter demanding the removal of the “aim to permit” rule.
Introduced under Tony Blair’s 2005 gambling reforms, the rule requires licensing authorities to favour approval when considering applications for gambling premises. Labour MP Dawn Butler, who organised the recent letter argues that the rule is outdated and has stripped councils of meaningful power.
“Our high streets are being hollowed out by a surge of betting shops and 24/7 slot‑machine venues, while local people are left powerless,” she said.
Last year, the Labour government had pledged to give local councils more influence by allowing them to apply “cumulative impact assessments”. Announced as part of the Pride of Place programme, these will enable councils to consider how many gambling venues already exist in a given area.
However, Butler and other signatories, including Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, 46 MPs, six peers and more than 200 councillors, say the measure falls short and that only scrapping the aim‑to‑permit requirement would restore local control.
“This call for change is not about banning the occasional bet,” the letter states. “It is about protecting our high streets, supporting vulnerable residents and ensuring that councils have the tools to act in the interests of their communities.”
Before the aim‑to‑permit principle was introduced with the 2005 Gambling Act, operators had to prove there was unmet local demand to open a new betting shop or adult gaming centres. Butler has also introduced a 10‑minute rule bill in parliament. While unlikely to pass into law, it may serve as a gauge of political appetite for reforms.
Campaigners argue that over one million people in Britain suffer gambling‑related harm. However, industry representatives emphasise the sector’s economic and community roles. The Betting & Gaming Council noted that betting shops sustain 46,000 jobs, contribute nearly £1bn in annual tax revenue, and pay £60m in business rates. The group also highlighted research showing that betting shop customers often support other local businesses, boosting high street trade.
It also noted that, contrary to what some campaigners suggest, the number of betting shops in Britain has fallen by 29 per cent since 2019.
