Brent Greens campaigning against against gambling centres
From Brent Green Party
BRENT, LONDON Brent Green Party has cautiously welcomed the Prime Minister’s recent briefing announcing the intended scrapping of the controversial "aim to permit" rule under Section 153 of the Gambling Act 2005, over 20 years after its introduction by a Labour government.
Like many campaigners, affected families, and individuals who suffer from gambling harm, the Brent Green Party strongly supports ending the legal presumption that leads local authorities to believe they have no option but to approve new betting shops, casinos and 24-hour Adult Gaming Centres (AGCs).
However, the Brent Green Party warns that without a published White Paper, statutory document, or formal government policy roadmap, the announcement remains little more than a press statement. With legislation unlikely to be introduced until early next year, and heavy corporate industry lobbying expected during consultations, the "aim to permit" mandate will continue to hamstring local councils for the foreseeable future. The announcement also has no impact on the 80+ betting shops and casinos already in operation across Brent.
Furthermore, we have deep concerns about the Labour government’s true resolve to implement meaningful reform, given the government's close financial ties to the gambling industry; public records show the Labour Party and senior ministers accepted over £1 million in donations and gifts from betting executives and industry bodies in recent years, including a £25,000 leadership campaign donation to Keir Starmer from the head of Bet365 and VIP event hospitality for key Cabinet members.
Gambling Harm Continue to Costs Brent £18 Million Annually
According to estimates from GambleAware, gambling-related harms cost the London Borough of Brent over £18 million every year. Despite these devastating economic and social impacts, local communities remain largely powerless under the current statutory framework. Where Green Party ward representatives are active, they have successfully mobilised residents against proliferation:
Willesden Green Ward: In June, a controversial Adult Gaming Centre application was formally rejected by the licensing committee following strong community opposition. This decision was unprecedented in the history of Brent.
Kilburn Ward: A major bingo hall/gaming application was forced into withdrawal ahead of its scheduled committee hearing in July due to organised local pressure.
This record contrasts with a recent decision of Brent Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee which granted a new premises licence to 312 Investments Limited to operate an Adult Gaming Centre at 574 High Road in Wembley Central, a ward represented by the Liberal Democrats at council level.
Speaking on behalf of Brent Green Party, Cllr Suzanne Gallagher said:
While we welcome the Prime Minister’s recognition that the 'aim to permit' rule is broken, a press briefing does not stop fixed-odds betting terminals or 24-hour slot machines from opening on our high streets today. Under Brent Labour, the industry has exploded in our borough with over 80 gambling venues, including ten within a ten minute walk of each other in Harlesden.
Furthermore, this announcement must be coupled with a comprehensive strategy to encourage local independent businesses to not only survive, but thrive. Small, independent enterprises present on our High Streets are currently suffering under punitive rent increases, extortionate commissions demanded by delivery platforms like Uber Eats, and a broader cost-of-living crisis impacting essential utility bills. The Green Party believes in actively promoting and protecting the local businesses that enrich our communities and drive our wider circular economy ambitions.
The recent approval of yet another gaming centre in Wembley Central where local representatives failed to even show up to the hearing to defend their residents proves exactly why we cannot wait months or years for legislative promises. The Brent Green Party will continue the good fight against gambling harms alongside our communities, pushing back against applications that threaten our town centres.
11 comments:
I wrote about this very subject in this week’s Brent and Kilburn Times, I could have gone much further but was restricted on space.
Brent Council could have fought against this years ago, why only now???
And why did they give permission for this further gambling premises in Wembley Central after they just refused permission for a premises elsewhere in Brent??? Double standards!
Please share a link to your piece once published. I find guest blogging on Wembley matters a highly effective way of communicating what I want to say on matters of importance without being hamstrung by word counts. In a world of TikToks and Reels, the pen and paper still wins is my view.
If you have something you want to say, please do sent it to Martin Francis.
I also have these questions. I believe if we mobilise our councillors and residents, we can put up a good fight and potentially win even under the current regime. We shouldn’t wait around for change to the legal framework. I recommend highlighting your concerns with your ward councillors.
Our Wembley Central Lib Dem ward Cllrs know the concerns yet didn't even bother to go to the meeting to stop another gambling premises getting permission to open in Wembley Central!!!
A bit of common sense please and put any blame where it actually belongs. 1. This application related to premises which used to be a William Hill betting shop. 2. The application to continue Gambling activities here by a new operator was made before the local elections when the area was represented by Labour Councillors. 3. The Council informed and consulted those 3 Labour Councillors. 4. It was a Labour Government who introduced policies which made opening of Betting Shops and Gambling Premises easy and made opposition almost impossible. 5. Both the Police and Licensing Officers withdrew their opposition before the Licensing Meeting. 6. . The Licensing Panel had majority of Labour Councillors and despite last minute opposition from the local MP the application for a Gaming Centre (in a shop which had already been a Betting Shop) was approved.
We have seen a Betting Shop explosion in Brent because some 20 years ago the then Labour Government made it easy to open Betting Shops and made it difficult for local people and their elected representatives to say NO.
The current rules make it almost impossible for local Councils to remove an existing licence. The statement from the new Labour Prime Minister may (time will tell) make it easier to stop the opening of new Gambling Venues but we are probably stuck with the many we already have in Brent's High Streets.
And why exactly didn’t our 3 Lib Dem Wembley Central Councillors attend the meeting???
If they stopped this in Willesden Green ward they could have stopped it in Wembley Central!
When was this opportunity, could it have been when you had the ineffective Labour three? We all know the answer to that.
Because only the Ward Councillors can speak to the committee.
No, decision was made recently as ex Labour Cllr Sonia Shah was campaigning against it when canvassing for the local elections so the decision must have been made after the local elections.
Is it possible to see our MPs objection letter?
And did the Leader of Brent Council object?
Meeting where latest Wembley Central one was approved was on 17th June ...
Agenda for Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Sub-Committee on Wednesday 17 June 2026, 10.30 am https://share.google/ArOgm2VxLEznGLBrY
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