Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of betting shops on town centre vitality.

Some high streets have become increasingly dominated by certain types of premises – including gambling establishments – which don’t always meet the needs of their communities. According to the Gambling Commission, the number of adult gaming centres (AGCs) rose by 7% between 2022 and 2024, with additional data showing that AGCs are most concentrated in areas of higher deprivation.

My Department will take action to tackle the number of gambling premises in vulnerable areas by introducing Cumulative Impact Assessments in gambling licensing when parliamentary time allows.