UK's poorest areas have ten times the number of betting shops as richest
23 August 2021, 08:51
The UK’s most deprived areas are home to over 10 times the number of betting shops as the country's most affluent areas, new research has found.
A study by the University of Bristol, backed by the Standard Life Foundation, has shown that only two per cent of betting shops in the UK are in the most affluent 10 per cent of communities.
Meanwhile, more than two in 10 of the premises are found in the most deprived areas, including Glasgow, Liverpool, Middlesbrough and parts of London.
The research also discovered that half of the UK’s gambling treatment centres are located within 250 metres of their nearest betting shop.
Prior to the pandemic, almost half of all gambling in the UK took place in physical shops, equating to around £5 billion being spent annually.
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"Problem gambling is a public health issue, causing serious harm to people's finances, livelihoods and relationships," Standard Life Foundation chief executive Mubin Haq said.
"Those with the least resources are being targeted more, with twice as many gambling venues on their doorstep as supermarkets.
"If we are to truly level up, the new gambling reforms currently being considered must take into account the geography of gambling venues and give local authorities more control over licensing."
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Jamie Evans, senior research associate at the University of Bristol, said: "The research highlights the clear mismatch between the amenities available in 'left behind' areas, compared with those that are more affluent.
"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.
"While the gambling industry may offer some much-needed employment in these areas, it usually takes much more than it gives, leaving a legacy of greater hardship and increased social problems."
