December 2021

Welcome to December's edition of Licensing Authority Bulletin.

In this month's edition:

Local risk assessments and premises plans
Local Area Profile for Gambling Risk in Westminster
Lotteries
Beacon Trust re custody suites update funded by Reg Settlements
Gambling-related harms evidence review published
Useful links and resources

Local risk assessments and premisis plans

A number of LAs have been in discussion with the Commission recently regarding local risk assessments (LRAs) and premises plans made available by operators. It is useful to have developed your own Local Area Profile, as the story by Westminster Council below indicates. However, it is not essential and may be disproportionate depending on the number of gambling premises in your area.

The Guidance to Licensing Authorities provides the information you require on both these subjects. In short, the premises plan - if either a current one or in a new plan - only offer you an outline (eg. perimeter and exits) rather than machine locations, you should request a more detailed plan until such time as you are satisfied the Licensing Objectives are being protected. Likewise, an operator is required to update their LRA when circumstances change in the local environment.

As part of your inspection regime it is not unreasonable to request a copy of the LRA – then check as to whether it is up to date and meets the need to be reflected in how the premises is being operated.

Local Area Profile for Gambling Risk in Westminster

As part of the Gambling Policy (2022) update, Westminster City Council has produced a Local Area Profile (LAP). This analyses and maps potential risks to gambling-related harm in Westminster by considering a range of health, economic and demographic indicators of vulnerability. We are also the only local authority to have produced an online, interactive mapping tool for use alongside the LAP.

Aims and objectives

The LAP helps the Council to understand gambling-related risk, assist applicants in meeting the Council’s Gambling Policy, and support residents and stakeholders to scrutinise applications for gambling premises. It is an innovative tool which democratises intelligence for the benefit of businesses, residents and Council officers:

Businesses can use the LAP and interactive map to identify suitable locations for premises and make better informed applications.
Residents can use the interactive map and feel reassured, through interventions like betting clusters, that further premises will not be allowed in vulnerable locations.
Westminster officers granting applications have a more comprehensive understanding of the local area and gambling-related risks.

Research methodology

The methodology builds on cutting-edge research from Geofutures, commissioned by the Council in 2016. It uses a range of Westminster data, the latest studies into gambling-related harm, and information from external experts to create a Gambling Vulnerability Index.

In the Index, risk factors (e.g. ‘youth’ or ‘debt’) are weighted based on the strength of evidence behind them. Relevant locations (e.g. youth centres or payday loan shops) are then mapped across Westminster. If an area contains multiple, overlapping risk factors, it becomes a Vulnerability Zone. Our LAP contains ‘at home’ and ‘away from home’ versions of the Vulnerability Index and maps, demonstrating our understanding as a Central London borough that residents, visitors, workers and students could all face potential risks.

Lotteries

The Commission receives a great number of enquiries about lotteries, of all kinds, from consumers, LAs and others. We know that you do as well! To assist we have updated our Guidance Note.

Secondly – LAs can of course run their own lottery, please ensure that it is being conducted in accordance with the regulations! – The Isle Of Thanet Community Lotto halted after complaint to Gambling Commission net News.

There is also a Lotteries Toolkit on the LA section of our website which should answer any further questions.

Beacon Trust re custody suites update funded by Reg Settlements

Engaging with the issue of getting gambling harms recognised in UK custody suites and the wider criminal justice system, from a systematic and strategic perspective, the Beacon Counselling Trust (BCT) launched its Criminal Justice programme in September 2021. Alongside key partners, it promotes a collaborative approach in addressing gambling related harms (GRH) emphasising this as a public health issue, aimed at the first point of contact for many individuals within the UK CJS and Police Custody Suites.

A 3 year programme of engagement across the UK CJS is now in operation. This will see routine screening for GRH in an initial target group of Police Forces in England, Scotland and Wales and then a strategic rollout to all Police Custody Suites by the completion of this project. A primary goal of this work is to have parity of awareness and early intervention through organisations like NHS England L&D to support those entering the UK CJS to have similar screening pathways, early intervention structures and onward referral systems in place equivalent to other issues such as substance misuse and / or mental health issues through health care and liaison and diversion professionals within CJS

Initially this programme will support Police Authorities in areas including Manchester (GMP), Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, Birmingham (WMP). This work will engage Police and Custody Suite staff, Probation, Prisons, and other professionals linked to the CJS. The initiative emphasises an approach that focuses two strategic priorities of prevention, education, treatment, and support, which collectively will have the most impact on reducing gambling harms within the UK CJS.

Professionals will receive training designed to assist CJS key workers understand and identify issues concerning gambling related harms and develop confidence and competence in being to provide an appropriate intervention. The training programme known as ‘Bet You Can Help’ (BYCH) has been developed in partnership with ARA Recovery for All, RCA, the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) and Unite the Union and is evaluated by the Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (GREO).

The programme provides a gambling harms first aid community outreach model that engages professionals working in the CJS to identify signs of gambling harms and have conversations with those at-risk. The training seeks to normalise conversations about gambling harms and in doing so reduces issues associated with stigmatisation, which are known to prevent people accessing specialist treatment and support. The training incorporates approaches that encourages place-based identification of those at-risk, offering individuals early access to specialist provision to assist individuals who may have entrenched behaviours or are experiencing severe gambling related harms. BYCH is accredited by the Royal Society of Public Health and is offered FREE within the CJS as a Level 2 OFQUAL training course, the first of its kind in the UK. The BYCH programme has three options available to learners.

For more information on ‘Bet You Can Help’ contact Neil Platt (Clinical Director, BCT) at Neil.Platt@beaconcounsellingtrust.co.uk

Gambling-related harms evidence review published

Public Health England (now the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities) has published a Gambling-related harms evidence review. The review estimated that the annual economic burden of harmful gambling is approximately £1.27 billion. Upon it’s publication, Tim Miller, Executive Director at the Gambling Commission said:

“We are pleased to welcome this important independent report from Public Health England. Protecting people from gambling harms is a priority for the Gambling Commission, and we take a public health approach to do so. Public Health England’s work will help to support the continuing collaboration of a wide range of bodies under the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms.”

Useful links and resources

Some quick guides are designed to give to operators when undertaking visits, others provide an accessible ‘how to’ for licensing staff:

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