For betting shops and payday lenders, limits to the proliferation of these types of businesses in a local area (to prevent saturation and clustering in the most deprived areas for example), can be explored through the planning or licensing system. For example, Islington Council has adopted a Supplementary Planning Document on the location and concentration of uses, focusing on hot food takeaways, betting shops and payday loan shops. 5
Making independent debt advice and support easily accessible to those who need it through signposting is another recommended approach for reducing gambling-related harm. 6
Geofutures has worked with the Local Government Association (LGA), Manchester City Council and Westminster Council to develop a gambling-related harm risk index. This entails the creation of local risk indices showing areas with greater concentrations of people who are more likely to be vulnerable to gambling-related harm. 7 This model can be used by other areas to identify locations where there is a case to limit new gambling venues and/or focus gambling-related support services.
Liverpool Public Health Observatory have outlined a comprehensive approach to tackle problem gambling, through a co-ordinated response from local and national government, the NHS, and the gambling industry, as well as commissioners and those who provide support services. 8
References
- Islington Council, “Location and concentration of uses Supplementary Planning Document,” 2016
- Royal Society for Public Health, “Health on the high street,” 2015
- H. Wardle, G. Astbury and M. Thurstain-Goodwin, “Exploring area-based vulnerability to gambling-related harm: Developing the gambling-related harm risk index,” Geofutures, 2016
- Liverpool Public Health Observatory, “Fixed Odds Betting Terminal Use and problem gambling across the Liverpool City Region. Observatory report series No, 95,” 2014
- Islington Council, “Location and concentration of uses Supplementary Planning Document,” 2016
- Royal Society for Public Health, “Health on the high street,” 2015
- H. Wardle, G. Astbury and M. Thurstain-Goodwin, “Exploring area-based vulnerability to gambling-related harm: Developing the gambling-related harm risk index,” Geofutures, 2016
- Liverpool Public Health Observatory, “Fixed Odds Betting Terminal Use and problem gambling across the Liverpool City Region. Observatory report series No, 95,” 2014