Tower Hamlets Council is set to review its gambling policy, but will maintain its existing ban on casinos, following a meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on Monday, 15 September 2025.

The decision to maintain the 'no casino' resolution is supported by a consultation with residents and businesses. The Full Council initially made this decision on 18 September 2013 and has reaffirmed it in previous revisions. The original decision can be found on the council's website.

The council is required to review its gambling policy every three years under the Gambling Act 2005. The policy outlines how the council regulates gambling premises within the borough.

As part of the review, the council conducted a consultation, the details of which are in the Appendix 5. Online Survey Detailed Summary Report. According to the report, the consultation period ran from 3 February 2025 to 21 March 2025. The council contacted statutory partners, residents associations and current gambling licence holders, as detailed in Appendix One - List of consultees. While there were 57 visits to the consultation page, no one completed the survey. One response was received from Public Health. Tom Lewis, Head of Regulatory Services, explained that the lack of responses was likely due to the limited scope for changes within the Gambling Act.

The council's legal services also recommended removing delegations in Part D of the policy and instead referring applicants to the council's constitution.

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee reviewed the Cabinet Report Gambling Policy 2025, which recommends that the Full Council adopt the revised Statement of Gambling Policy and maintain the 'no casino' resolution. The council initially resolved not to issue casino premises licences on 18 September 2013.

Key changes to the Statement of Gambling Policy include:

  • An expectation that licence holders implement a Think 25 age verification policy.
  • Updates to references to the Tower Hamlets Plan.
  • Incorporation of changes to the Gambling Commission Guidance to Local Authorities and the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP).

Councillor James King raised concerns about the 2005 Gambling Act's aim to permit clause, which restricts the council's ability to impose stricter regulations. Councillor Kabir Hussain noted that the highest concentration of licensed gambling premises is in Bethnal Green and Whitechapel, the borough's most deprived wards, and asked why the council had not proposed stronger restrictions in those areas.

![Map of Tower Hamlets showing Index of Multiple Deprivation and location of betting/gambling outlets.](https://opencouncil.network/rails/activestorage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBMkUrRGc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--bf891621a535ae3321832c5c3c8d64b8b5194094/page4Figure_1.jpeg Map of Tower Hamlets showing Index of Multiple Deprivation and location of betting/gambling outlets.

Mr Lewis explained that the council relies on objections related to the three licensing objectives to restrict gambling. These objectives are:

  • Preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime,
  • Ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way; and,
  • Protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

Mr. Lewis noted that anyone can object to a gambling application. He also noted that the Prime Minister is considering a community impact policy, which could allow the council to introduce stronger restrictions. The report mentions that there have been calls on the Prime Minister to look at a 'community impact policy' similar to what the Licensing Act guidance had. If this policy is introduced, there would be nothing to stop the council from reviewing its policy mid-term to include stronger restrictions. The Prime Minister seems to have warmed to this idea and seems to be saying that this is something that they are willing to look at.

Councillor Doith also raised concerns about gambling addiction and asked what help is available. Mr Lewis responded that the Gambling Commission requires license holders to promote resources to prevent gambling harms. He added that the council is working with Public Health to map licensed premises in deprivation areas and provide information to license holders.

Councillor Abdi Mohamed asked about enforcement, noting that the licensing team only recorded three compliance visits last year with zero sanctions. Mr Lewis explained that compliance visits were down due to the pandemic and staff losses1, but that the licensing team has visited all gambling premises this year. He added that the council focuses on prosecuting illegal gambling2.

https://democracy.towerhamlets.gov.uk/mgChooseDocPack.aspx?ID=4198

Footnotes:

  1. The report mentions that the licensing team didn't do as many compliance visits last year due to still coming out of covert and they lost two offices during covert due to funding. This year the licensing team have been around all our gambling premises.

  2. The Head of Regulatory Services stated, we have in the past actually taken a a gambling a legal gambling prosecution um all the way through to court and one uh that was some years ago um but not there's not a lot of premises that do do illegal gambling prosecutions and i think we're one of the forefront that did that that's the kind of thing that we focus on more is making sure that any illegal gambling within the borough is identified investigated and where we can prosecute it and that's what i think we should that's what we focus on