Burnham to scrap ‘aim to permit’ for UK betting shops amid continued closures

The UK government is preparing to scrap the ‘aim to permit’ rule for betting shops and adult gaming centres, removing the presumption in favour of granting permission for such venues as part of enforcement reforms designed to give local councils stronger powers over high street businesses.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the measures, which will also require AGCs in England offering round-the-clock access to gambling machines to obtain planning approval. The reforms, first reported by the BBC, will be officially announced later today.

Posting on his Facebook page, Burnham called betting shops “dodgy businesses” and stated: “We’re giving local people and councils more control over what opens, and tougher powers to crack down on businesses that aren’t good for our communities. For too long, Westminster has stood by while our high streets declined. That ends now.”

Industry pushes back on characterisation

The Betting and Gaming Council welcomed enhanced local input but strongly contested the government’s characterisation of the sector. A BGC spokesperson said: “It is wrong to lump highly regulated, licensed betting shops together with rogue or criminal businesses. Betting shops still support 37,500 jobs, bring vital footfall to neighbouring businesses and, for many customers, are valued community hubs.”

The BGC emphasised that betting shop numbers have fallen by over a third since 2019, with around 3,000 shops closed and over 15,000 jobs lost. “The suggestion that betting shops are spreading unchecked is simply wrong,” the spokesperson added.

Compliance consultant Kirsty Caldwell of Betsmart criticised the government’s comparison between licensed betting shops and vape retailers. “The industry pours millions into regulatory controls and consumer protection,” Caldwell wrote on LinkedIn. “How can a sector, which generates circa £4 billion in tax revenue and well over 100,000 jobs nationwide, be classified alongside industries which have no regulatory control whatsoever?”

Closures accelerate amid tax pressures

The planning reforms arrive during a sustained period of retail betting contraction. In August, Betfred announced plans to close 132 UK betting shops and reduce its workforce by more than 600 employees as of September, citing the Remote Gambling Duty rise as a key factor.

CEO Jo Whittaker said: “We have tried hard to protect all our sites and the colleagues who work in them, but the combined impact of higher employer National Insurance contributions, wage inflation, increases in gambling taxes and wider economic uncertainty has left us with no choice.”

Evoke closed 200 William Hill stores in April for similar reasons, while Ladbrokes reduced its Irish estate after sale talks collapsed.

Mixed response from stakeholders

The Local Government Association described the government’s approach as a “positive step” towards empowering councils. “Extra powers will help councils in revitalising high streets and shaping their communities, particularly in regulating betting and vaping shops, while also breathing new life into empty premises,” a spokesperson said.

However, many stakeholders warn that planning changes alone will not halt broader high street decline, with the BGC noting that “the real threat to Britain’s hard-pressed high streets is more empty units and fewer local jobs, not businesses rooted in the communities they serve.”