Gambling premises 10 times more prevalent in poor areas

POORER areas are 10 times more likely to have betting shops, bingo halls or amusement arcades than wealthier areas, research shows.

The University of Bristol study found 21 per cent of gambling premises were located in the most deprived areas, compared with just 2 per cent in the wealthiest 10 per cent of districts.

The researchers warned the geographical spread had serious implications for poorer families who were more likely to gamble and fall into debt.

Even though gambling has increasingly shifted online, betting at physical venues still accounted for nearly half (44 per cent) of the UK’S gambling yield.

As of Nov 2020, there were still more gambling premises than stores run by the largest eight supermarket chains in Britain, who collectively account for 90 per cent of the market. The researchers said this highlighted a mismatch in the amenities for deprived communities compared with the more affluent.

Areas with the highest number of betting shops per capita included Glasgow, Liverpool, parts of London and Middlesbrough, with on average one betting shop per 3,000 to 4,000 residents.

Jamie Evans, Senior Research Associate at the University of Bristol, said: “Rather than having greater access to the facilities, services and opportunities that help people to improve their lives, those in more deprived communities are disproportionately faced with choices that can often prove harmful.”