British Bookmakers and Local UK Local Councils Forge Partnership Agreement

In a move to create a mutually beneficial working relationship aimed at resolving a wide range of issues and concerns pertaining to the country’s retail betting industry, the UK Local Government Association (LGA) and the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) have signed an agreement to work together in accordance with a framework created by the LGA Betting Commission. The purpose of which is to see the local councils and betting shop operators working together, when taking actions aimed at addressing local concerns related to betting shop operations.

The LGA Betting Commission was formed by the LGA in 2014 to promote coordination between British local councils, the top five betting firms (Betfred, Coral, William Hill, Ladbrokes, and Paddy Power) and members of the ABB, by engaging in discussions aimed at identifying and resolving concerns about land-based betting outlets. The approach taken by the LGA is based on the premise that local issues vary from place to place and therefore need to be pinpointed locally, in order to come up with applicable and appropriate local solutions.

LGA Licensing Champion Cllr Tony Page and Dirk Vennix, CEO of ABB, signed the agreement and issued a joint statement that outlines the objectives of the framework for the collaboration between local councils and betting outlets. The statement embodies their commitment to collaborate rather than engage in adversarial conduct in order to come up with effective local regulations that produce beneficial outcomes for everyone concerned, i.e. the punters, the communities, and businesses.

The partnership framework contains guidelines on who could be involved in local joint workings. It also supports evidence-based practice in identifying and addressing issues and objectives. The set of guidelines also advocates putting in place clear monitoring processes through data collection and joint reviews, as means of keeping track of the progress and in determining the successful attainment of the partnership objectives.

In recognising that local partnership is likely to differ in some areas, the framework suggests mechanisms that have been proven as successful in tackling related and relevant issues, as well as furnishes case studies that pose as pattern on how varying issues were resolved. The agreement maintains that there must be a commitment to observe joint approach and to resolve issues at the onset, in order to reduce the likelihood of an operator challenging a council’s decision.

The framework intends to assure councils that their concerns are taken into consideration by the betting industry, as well as give the gambling sector assurance that the local councils acknowledge their right to exist in UK’s high streets. Both parties recognise that betting shops have been part of Great Britain’s town centres for more than 50 years and has made important contributions to communities, but must operate on established and sufficient regulations in order to provide punters a safe and responsible environment in which to enjoy their gambling activities.

In the past and in some areas, the local council’s concerns have been well publicised, which include the perceived effects of the clustering of betting outlets and the increasing volume of FOBTS in operation, as well as other anti-social conduct related to those who visit the shops, such as littering and street drinking. As it is, local issues in some areas have remained unresolved due to lack of proper dialogue and coordination from both parties, which gave betting shops in general, a negative reputation.