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gambling harms

6 stories · discussed at 5 council meetings · 8 councils

Councils are developing strategies and updating licensing policies to address gambling harms, with Barnet recently declaring an emergency.

Barnet Council declared a gambling harms emergency on October 20, 2026, committing to develop a comprehensive strategy across various council services. This decision followed the presentation of local public health evidence highlighting the financial, health, and social costs of gambling harm. Councillor Alison Moore stated that Barnet Public Health believes this is an emergency.

In September 2026, Lambeth's Director of Public Health reported on multi-faceted efforts to tackle gambling harms, including community engagement and workforce training, with a joint South East London Needs Assessment due for publication. Concurrently, Barking and Dagenham Council sought public input on its revised Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy for 2026-2029, aiming to strengthen protections against gambling-related harm.

Councils are also addressing gambling harms through licensing and policy reforms. Wandsworth Council's Licensing Committee approved increases to gambling licence fees, effective from April 1, 2026, to recover service costs. In December 2025, Waltham Forest Council debated a motion calling for urgent reforms and restoration of decision-making powers to local authorities.

Key facts

  1. Barnet Council declared a gambling harms emergency on October 20, 2026. Source 1 Source 2
  2. Lambeth's Director of Public Health reported in September 2026 that an estimated 41,250 adults in Lambeth are affected by gambling harms, with 8,110 at high risk. Source
  3. Barking and Dagenham Council sought public input on its revised Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy for 2026-2029 in September 2026. Source
  4. Wandsworth Council's Licensing Committee approved increases to gambling licence fees, effective from April 1, 2026. Source
  5. Waltham Forest Council was set to debate a Labour Group motion on gambling harms on December 11, 2025. Source
About this summary

This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 21 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.

Latest stories

  1. Barnet Council declares gambling harms emergency and pledges action Barnet Council has officially declared a gambling harms emergency, signalling a commitment to developing a comprehensive strategy to tackle the issue across various council... Barnet 21 October 2026
  2. Barnet declares gambling emergency Barnet Council has declared a gambling harms emergency, committing to a new strategy to tackle the issue across the borough. Barnet 21 October 2026
  3. Lambeth Tackles Gambling Harms with New Levy and Community Programs Lambeth's Director of Public Health has reported on the borough's multi-faceted efforts to tackle gambling harms, highlighting community engagement, workforce training, and... Lambeth 19 September 2026
  4. Gambling policy update: Council seeks public input Barking and Dagenham Council is seeking public input on its revised Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy for 2026-2029. The policy, discussed at a recent Licensing and... Barking and Dagenham 10 September 2026
  5. Wandsworth council to raise gambling licence fees Wandsworth Council's Licensing Committee has approved proposed increases to gambling licence fees, which will come into effect from April 1, 2026. The decision was made during a... Wandsworth 20 February 2026
  6. Waltham Forest Council to Debate Gambling Harms Motion Waltham Forest Council is set to debate a Labour Group motion on gambling harms, calling for urgent reforms to tackle the issue and restore decision-making powers to local... Waltham Forest 15 December 2025