Issue - meetings

The Council’s Gambling Licensing Policy was due for review. The Committee considered a draft statement of Gambling Policy for 2019-2021 and agreed that it should be subject to public consultation until 16^th September 2018. A number of details in the policy had been updated as necessary, but no significant changes were proposed.

In response to questions, officers confirmed that there had been a spike in new betting shops across the borough about three years ago, but there had been very little increase since then. They had carried out an assessment in Penge at the time, but had insufficient evidence to take any action.

Members asked whether there was anything that could be done to encourage the managers of betting shops to move on groups of young people congregating outside their shops. Officers explained that the young people would be on the public highway and there was nothing in the Gambling Act that would allow this - the situation was different under the Licensing Act where conditions could be imposed in alcohol licenses.

Officers explained that holders of alcohol licenses could have up to two gaming machines in their premises. This did not apply to unlicensed premises such as chicken shops, but some owners attempted to get around this by installing skill-based machines. Determining whether such machines were skill-based or gaming machines could be a very difficult and technical issue which the Gambling Commission would need to advise on - Members were encouraged to report any unlicensed premises where they were concerned that these rules were being broken. Members also raised the possibility of premises owners (such as coffee shops and pizza parlours) seeking alcohol licenses with the real motive of being able to install gaming machines. Officers were not aware that this was a problem, and it would be difficult to refuse such applications, but in such cases there would be controls under the alcohol license.

RESOLVED that

(1) The draft Gambling Policy as attached to the report be subject to public consultation until 16^th September 2018.

(2) Feedback from the consultation be received at the next meeting on 25th September 2018.