(AsiaGameHub) - Local authorities in England are nearing increased authority over the issuance of retail licenses, following a bill’s successful passage through the House of Lords.
The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill completed its third reading in the House of Lords yesterday, 15 April, advancing it towards its final stages of review and Royal Assent.
Prior to this, on Monday 13 April, proposals to amend the bill were approved by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government in the Labour government, during the Lords’ report stage.
Of particular significance is Amendment 305. This clause facilitates the introduction of ‘gambling impact assessments’ (GIAs) within the framework of the Gambling Act 2005, marking a substantial departure from the existing “aim to permit” rule.
Until now, the default position for licence applications has been their approval. If a local authority chose to deny an application, it was required to provide justification with sufficient evidence, such as an elevated risk of gambling harm among the population.
With the implementation of Amendment 305, authorities will be empowered to develop GIAs for specific areas under their jurisdiction. Through these assessments, they can argue that the proliferation of gambling premises would be detrimental, again supported by evidence of local harm and cumulative impact on residents.
This implies that licence applicants will now be obligated to demonstrate their compliance with the licensing objectives established as a result of these GIAs, effectively shifting the burden of proof to the applicants to show why they should be granted a licence in those designated areas.
“This would amend the Gambling Act 2005 to enable licensing authorities to adopt, and act in accordance with, policies aimed at preventing the grant of gambling licences in order to respond to (a) the cumulative impact of multiple gambling premises or (b) other reasons relating to the licensing objectives in that Act,” the amendment specifies.
However, this does not constitute an outright prohibition, as refusals can still be challenged. Application rejections would be deemed unlawful if the applicant successfully proves that granting such a licence is consistent with the licensing objectives defined by the local authority.
It is important to note that Amendment 305 does not override the ‘aim to permit’ rule. Instead, it introduces a reverse mechanism for designated areas where applicants must justify licence approval.
The amended bill will now return to the Commons for consideration of these amendments, during which Amendment 305 could potentially be removed by MPs.
Should the amended bill receive Royal Assent, it remains to be seen whether this will satisfy local councils across the UK, which have consistently called for over a year for greater independent authority over gambling permits and advertising within their jurisdictions.
PM Keir Starmer had previously endorsed calls from gambling reform campaigners for a review of the Aim to Permit rule. Led by Labour MP Dawn Butler, a number of Labour MPs and councillors have been advocating for increased powers to prevent gambling businesses from establishing themselves in their areas, with a particular focus on Adult Gaming Centres and betting shops.
“We will give councils stronger powers over the location and numbers of gambling outlets to help create safe, thriving, high streets,” Starmer stated during a Prime Minister’s Questions session back in September 2025.
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