| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:152 High Street - change of use from retail shop to bingo hall | |
| Posted by: | Sara Nathan | |
| Date/Time: | 14/10/09 11:53:00 |
| It's close to my heart not because I gamble or have any connection with the industry but, for really obscure reasons, I was on the Budd commission on the future of gambling which led to the current legislation - though they didn't of course translate all our concerns and safeguards into the Act. But the previous laws were a bizarre mish-mash and not satisfactory either. I was proud of the concept of "ambient gambling" which I sort of invented - that is machines in chip shops, taxi offices etc which I think particularly pernicious. The legislation did get rid of them so at least now you have to go to licensed premises and make a decision to do it...not just come across machines everywhere. We reported before internet gambling was really happening so that was the major omission. I agree it was quite a liberalisation - and also that using loopholes, when it is pretty liberal, is not on. |