UK

UK Councils are demanding Gambling Review changes expressing fear that local communities are being overwhelmed by “24-hour slot shops.”

The UK government is facing pressure from local councils to tighten regulations on the exposure of betting estates and gambling venues as British high streets now host over 200,000 B3 gaming machines.

This morning, ITV News broadcast an exclusive report by UK Politics correspondent Shehab Khan, highlighting “concerns over the number of slot machines and betting shops opening on high streets.”

NEW: 38 councils and mayors, including Andy Burnham, have written to the government saying they are powerless to stop new betting/slot machine shops opening up on their high streets.
— Shehab Khan ITV (@ShehabKhan) April 3, 2025

As a result, a coalition of councils and mayors has urged the government to implement immediate changes to the Gambling Review, ensuring that local authorities have the power to prevent the concentration of gambling and betting premise..

Gambling harm charity Ygam has announced the imminent departure of its CEO, Dr Jane Rigbye.

Rigbye will step down in June after spending three and a half years in the role, however, she will remain supporting the charity by joining the Ygam board as a trustee.

On her departure, Rigbye commented: “Leading Ygam has been an incredible honour. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved as a team, and I know the charity will continue to go from strength to strength.

“The work we do has never been more important, and I have been continually inspired by the passion and talent of the Ygam team.”

Ygam hailed the work Rigbye has done during her tenure at the charity, highlighting that under her leadership, Ygam has enhanced its profile and reach, as well as increased its impact through the execution of “an ambitious strategy and rebrand”.

Focused on delivering education, Ygam works with schools, colleges and universities, as well as established brands such as the Scouts, Mumsnet, Place..

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has felt the wrath of some political voices over “backtracking” on a promise to ban gambling advertisements from the London Tube network.

The pledge formed part of his 2021 re-election manifesto, however, he has yet to fulfill this promise, and Khan has now said that he will wait for the government to “provide a national framework to addressing the issue” before taking action.

This was in response to a written question from Green Party member of the London Assembly, Caroline Russell, who asked the mayor when he will “implement an ethical advertising policy for [Transport for London], rather than wait for Londoner’ complaints and media outcry to remove gambling adverts from the transport network”.

Khan told Russell that he would not move on the issue until he heard more details about the government’s plans in the area of gambling advertisement.

Filling the gaps in the evidence base

In its general election manifesto, Labour said it was “committed to redu..