Kingston Council to Debate Gambling Reform Support

20 December 2025

Kingston Council is set to debate a motion supporting national gambling reform and increased protection for residents at its meeting on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. The council recognises the need to address gambling-related harm within the borough.

The motion, proposed by Councillor Yvonne Tracey and seconded by Councillor Kamala Kugan, will be referred to the Licensing Committee. It highlights concerns about gambling addiction and the high number of betting shops and adult gaming centres in the borough.

The motion notes that councils are limited by what it calls outdated legislation, particularly the Aim to Permit rule within the Gambling Act 2005. This rule significantly hinders local councils' ability to control the number and location of gambling premises, as it creates a presumption in favour of granting licenses unless there is compelling evidence to refuse them. It also raises concerns about the normalisation of gambling through online platforms and widespread advertising, especially among young people.

The council will be asked to join a coalition of councils pushing for urgent gambling reform. The motion also calls for the endorsement of recommendations from the Social Market Foundation, including stronger local licensing powers and the removal of the Aim to Permit rule to restore local democratic control. The recommendations also include the involvement of Directors of Public Health in gambling licensing.

If passed, the council would also be asked to write to the Secretaries of State for Culture, Media & Sport and for Health & Social Care urging legislative reform. The specific reforms sought have not been detailed, but are expected to address the issues raised in the motion. The motion also seeks to have the council join and promote campaigns such as the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA), work with NHS, Public Health, and voluntary sector partners to improve signposting to gambling support and education, and request a report outlining current gambling-related harm in Kingston, options to strengthen the Council's Statement of Gambling Principles, and opportunities for joint work with neighbouring boroughs to address gambling-related harm.

The full agenda for the meeting can be found in the Agenda frontsheet. Further details are available in the Public reports pack.

Councils Involved

Kingston upon Thames

Meetings Involved

the Council of Kingston upon Thames Council on 16 December 2025

People Involved

Afy Afilaka Liberal Democrat Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Sue Ansari Portfolio Holder for Children’s services including Education and Co-Chair - People Committee Liberal Democrat Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Rowena Bass Leader of the Conservative Group Conservative Coombe Hill Ward

Councillor Mark Beynon Chair - Planning Committee; Chair - Pension Fund Panel Liberal Democrat King George's and Sunray Ward

Andrew Bolton Liberal Democrat Coombe Vale Ward

Jamal Chohan Deputy Leader of the Opposition; Opposition Spokesperson for Leisure and Economic Development Kingston Independent Residents Group Tudor Ward

Councillor Emily Davey Portfolio Holder for Housing Liberal Democrat Norbiton Ward

Jackie Davies Liberal Democrat Berrylands Ward

Councillor Lorraine Dunstone Chair - South of the Borough Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Mark Durrant Chair - New and Old Malden Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat New Malden Village Ward

Councillor Ian George Conservative Coombe Hill Ward

Councillor James Giles Leader of the Kingston Independent Residents' Group Kingston Independent Residents Group Green Lane and St James Ward

Mariana Goncalves Liberal Democrat Tolworth Ward

Liz Green Chair of the Health Overview Panel Liberal Democrat St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Councillor Helen Grocott Chair - Health Overview Panel Liberal Democrat King George's and Sunray Ward

Councillor Noel Hadjimichael Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Liberal Democrat Canbury Gardens Ward

Patrick Hall Chair of Pension Fund Panel Liberal Democrat Tudor Ward

Councillor Sabah Hamed Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Equalities Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Councillor Roger Hayes Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Councillor Lesley Heap Liberal Democrat New Malden Village Ward

Lynn Henderson Chair - Audit, Governance & Standards Committee Liberal Democrat Motspur Park and Old Malden East Ward

Peter Herlinger Liberal Democrat Alexandra Ward

Councillor Alison Holt Liberal Democrat Surbiton Hill Ward

Councillor Amir Ali Khan Liberal Democrat Alexandra Ward

Councillor Robert Dongsung Kim Liberal Democrat New Malden Village Ward

Councillor Andreas Kirsch Leader of the Council, Portfolio Holder for Heritage and Culture Liberal Democrat Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Councillor Griseldis Kirsch Liberal Democrat Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Kamala Kugan Opposition Spokesperson for Corporate and Resources Kingston Independent Residents Group Coombe Vale Ward

Councillor Ian Manders Liberal Democrat Alexandra Ward

James Manthel Liberal Democrat Canbury Gardens Ward

Councillor Mike Massimi Portfolio Holder for Climate Action, Biodiversity and Regulatory Services Liberal Democrat Old Malden Ward

Councillor Sharukh Mirza Liberal Democrat Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Councillor Nicola Nardelli Deputy Leader of the Council, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Transport and Waste and Recycling Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Anne Owen Liberal Democrat Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Elizabeth Park Liberal Democrat Old Malden Ward

Councillor Tom Reeve Chair - Surbiton Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat Surbiton Hill Ward

Farshid Sadr-Hashemi Liberal Democrat Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Anita Schaper Portfolio Holder for Communities, Commissioning and Customer Contact & Governance and Co-Chair - Corporate and Resources Committee; Portfolio Holder for Communites, Commissioning, Customer Contact and Governance Liberal Democrat Berrylands Ward

Councillor Andrew Sillett Chair - Licensing Committee Liberal Democrat Coombe Vale Ward

Susan Skipwith Liberal Democrat Norbiton Ward

John Sweeney Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Councillor Thay Thayalan Mayor Liberal Democrat Tolworth Ward

Richard Thorpe Portfolio Holder for Finance, Assets and Governance and Co-Chair - Corporate and Resources Committee Liberal Democrat Motspur Park and Old Malden East Ward

Councillor Yvonne Tracey Kingston Independent Residents Group Green Lane and St James Ward

Councillor Olly Wehring Chair - Kingston and North Kingston Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat Norbiton Ward

Diane White Portfolio Holder for Children's Services (including Education) and Co-Chair - People Committee Liberal Democrat St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Councillor Andrew Wooldridge Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Economic Development and Planning Policy Liberal Democrat Tolworth Ward

Councillor Yogan Yoganathan Liberal Democrat St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Topics

Social Market Foundation Gambling Act 2005 gambling addiction Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA) NHS Public Health Kingston Council Kingston Council's Statement of Gambling Principles Directors of Public Health