UK Study: More Gambling Venues Than Supermarkets in the Country

A new study shows that gambling venues are more common within poorer areas around Great Britain. The study, released by the University of Bristol, unveils that 21% of the gambling venues in the country are located within deprived areas, while only 2% of the venues are positioned within the least deprived areas.

A New Study Shares an Insight on the Geography of Gambling Premises in GB

A new report released by the University of Bristol reveals that a significant number of gambling venues are located within Great Britain’s most deprived areas. The research, completed in collaboration with Aberdeen Standard Investments is titled “The Geography of Gambling Premises in Great Britain.“

The study cited a report by Gambling Commission, revealing that as of March 2020, there are more gambling venues than supermarkets in the country. The GC unveiled that the number of supermarkets run by the eight major chains in the country is 9,968. In contrast, the gambling venues in the country surpass 10,000.

The latest report was released at a time when the UK is still reviewing its Gambling Act. The review was launched to update the gambling rules and regulations in the country to meet the requirements of the growing market.

Gambling Venues Are More Common in Deprived Areas

The whitepaper revealed that as of November 2020, some 21% of the gambling venues were based within deprived areas. This proved a long-running trend of gambling venues being related to poor areas in Britain. In contrast, the research outlined that only 2% of the gambling venues were positioned within wealthy areas.

Comparing that number to the supermarkets in the country, we do see that there are more gambling venues than supermarkets in the most deprived areas. The study unveiled that just 10% of the supermarkets are located within deprived areas, while some 7% were in the least deprived decile.

Interestingly, it’s not only gambling venues that are more common within deprived areas. Some 34% of the family entertainment centers (FECs) are located within the most deprived areas, according to the study. Additionally, some 30% of the bingos were located within deprived areas, as well as 29% of the adult gaming centers (AGCs).

The number of casinos located in deprived areas is also significantly high – some 24%, followed by betting shops of which 18% were located in deprived areas. In contrast, only 2% of the betting shops, 1% of the AGCs, 1% of FECs, and 1% of the casinos were located within the least deprived decile.

Vulnerable Population Is Close to Gambling Venues

The recent report found that some three-quarters of the consumers disapproved of having a gambling venue within their “ideal high street.” Those consumers feared that such venues “prey on those that can’t afford it and have taken over streets in rundown areas and towns.“

Additionally, the study found that a significant number of gambling venues are located within close proximity to vulnerable populations. An example that was pointed out in the report was that of the 348 gambling treatment centers, 20% had a gambling venue within a 100-meter distance. Moreover, 50% of those treatment centers had a gambling venue within a 250-meter radius.

On the other hand, some 10% of the schools in England (2,221 of 23,729 as of 2019) had a gambling venue within 250 meters away. This means that one-tenth of the young adults are studying within a five-minute walk from a gambling premise. Out of 8.2 million pupils, that affects some 742,000, outlined the report.