Cllr Muhammed Butt Backs Gambling Shop Crackdown in Brent, North London 2026

Key Points

• Brent Council Leader Cllr Muhammed Butt is leading a crackdown campaign against the proliferation of gambling shops on high streets across the borough
• Brent has 81 licensed gambling premises, the second-highest concentration in London, making gambling facilities more accessible than supermarkets, banks, or schools
• The borough has 6.2% of residents categorised as problem gamblers—more than double the national average of 2.9%
• Gambling-related harm costs Brent an estimated £14.3 million per year
• Butt has rallied 38 local authorities (including 17 London boroughs) to urge the government to reform the Gambling Act 2005
• The coalition is calling to end the “Aim to Permit” policy that forces councils to approve gambling licences unless specific conditions are breached
• Butt’s “Six Point Plan for Change” includes reforming planning categories, allowing local debt considerations, creating a statutory levy, prohibiting gambling advertising, and reviewing machine spin speeds
• Recent gambling applications in Wembley and other areas have been described by Butt as “cynical in the extreme” for being filed just as new council powers advance
• New laws passing the House Lords would allow councils to designate areas where approving new gambling premises could be deemed harmful
• Cllr Liz Dixon, ward councillor for Dollis Hill, has objected to Merkur Slots’ application for an adult gaming centre in Neasden, calling the company “exploitative”
• Fixed Odds Betting Terminals have a 50% addiction rate compared to heroin’s 20-30% and tobacco’s 30%
• Young people are three times more likely to exhibit problem gambling habits, and ethnic minorities experience “disproportionately higher rates of harm”

Brent (North London News) June 19, 2026 — Brent Council Leader Cllr Muhammed Butt has launched a determined campaign to crack down on gambling shops proliferating across the borough’s high streets, citing widespread damage to communities and calling for urgent government intervention to restore local decision-making powers.

Why does Brent have such a high concentration of gambling premises?

As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service in the London Evening Standard, Brent’s own assessment found the borough has 81 premises, one of the highest totals in London. In some wards, it is easier to find a place to gamble than it is to shop at a supermarket. The borough also has the second-highest concentration of gambling premises in London, making gambling facilities more accessible than supermarkets, banks, or schools.

The volume of new licensing applications in wards including Harlesden, Willesden, and Neasden over the past few years has been described as “grossly unwelcome and inappropriate”. There are already seven betting shops within just a 600-metre stretch of Harlesden, and more than ten within a one-mile stretch of Willesden. The latest application from Merkur Slots for an adult gaming centre in Neasden would make it the fourth such site within a 100-metre stretch.

What are the social and economic impacts of gambling in Brent?

A Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) conducted by Brent Council revealed that 6.2 per cent of residents in the borough are categorised as “problem gamblers” – more than double the national average of 2.9 per cent. A borough in North London has more than double the national average of problem gamblers, according to the assessment.

The JSNA also found that gambling-related harm is costing Brent an estimated £14.3m per year. Both residents and local councillors in Brent have been sounding the alarm for some time about the sheer number of gambling sites in some of the borough’s most deprived areas. Locals have expressed “deep concerns” over the sites which they claim “threaten the social fabric” of the area.

Fixed Odds Betting Terminals have an addiction rate of 50 per cent and cause over half of all problem gambling cases in the UK, despite being played by only 3 per cent of the population, according to the JSNA. For comparison, heroin has an addiction rate of between 20 and 30 per cent, whilst tobacco’s addiction rate is 30 per cent.

The JSNA emphasised that many individuals gamble out of financial desperation – which has been exacerbated by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, with young people three times more likely to exhibit problem gambling habits. Whilst they gamble less frequently, ethnic minorities were also found to experience “disproportionately higher rates of harm”.

How is Cllr Butt leading the coalition of councils?

As reported by Harrow Online, the leader of Brent Council has rallied 38 local authorities together to fight gambling companies which he says appear to be targeting deprived areas.

A cross-party group of councils has written to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport urging the Government to give them more power to “beat the bookies”, saying they are “effectively powerless” to stop new sites springing up.

Brent Council is leading a coalition of 38 local authorities across the country – including 17 London boroughs – calling for more powers to refuse applications for gambling licences. Council Leader, Cllr Muhammed Butt, says communities in Brent are experiencing a “groundswell of gambling operators” popping up on high streets, seemingly targeting areas of higher deprivation “in a bid to maximise profits”.

Despite huge opposition from residents, the police, and politicians, Cllr Butt claims councils are “effectively powerless to intervene” and wants the Gambling Act 2025 to be reformed. He added:

“There’s too much on the line to ignore the harms of betting shops on Britain’s high streets, but our hands are effectively tied by a law no longer fit for purpose”.

What is Brent’s Six Point Plan for Change?

As reported by Harrow Online, Cllr Butt’s “Six Point Plan for Change” is his blueprint for reform. The plan includes:

• Reform the Aim to Permit policy and allow local authorities to reject applications that threaten the community’s welfare and safety
• Include bingo halls and adult gaming centres in the same planning category as bookmakers so caps cannot be by-passed by splitting premises
• Allow councils to consider local household debt levels when evaluating planning applications for high street casinos
• Create a statutory levy on gambling operators for research, education, and treatment through an independent public body
• Prohibit gambling advertising, promotion, and sponsorship to prevent exposure
• Review the spin speed and excess staking levels on gambling machines

In an open letter to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the coalition of councils, representing over 12 million people across the UK, has outlined six key demands to reform the Gambling Act 2005. The letter, led by Brent Council and endorsed by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Gambling Reform, highlights the devastating social impact of gambling harm.

What are the recent gambling applications Butt has criticised?

As reported by Harrow Online on April 21, 2026, the leader of Brent Council has described three more recently submitted licensing applications for gambling sites across the borough as “cynical in the extreme” due to them being filed just as the government is looking at giving local authorities greater powers to refuse.

New laws that would give councils more influence over licensing decisions on gambling premises passed its third reading in the House of Lords earlier in April 2026, and will now advance to final consideration and Royal Assent.

Due to the abundance of gambling sites already present across the borough, Brent Council has been at the forefront of a campaign to remove the existing ‘Aim to Permit’ principle which dictates that gaming halls or bookmakers should generally be approved.

Council Leader, Cllr Muhammed Butt has described the latest applications as “not wanted”. Cllr Butt said:

“It is cynical in the extreme that, just as the government is bringing forward new powers for councils after the campaign Brent Council has helped lead, three applications land under the old, weaker rules”.

“They are trying to bypass a broken system before councils finally receive the stronger powers to say no. Our message is simple: not here, not again, not in Brent”.

What legal changes are coming to gambling licensing?

The proposed law changes would allow local councils to designate specific areas where approving new gambling premises could be deemed harmful. In these zones, applicants will be responsible for demonstrating compliance with licensing objectives before approval is granted.

The measure would not allow councils to ban gambling venues from certain areas outright. Applicants would still be able to challenge refusals, which could be overturned if they are able to prove alignment with the licensing objectives. Therefore, the aim to permit framework remains in place but the amendment would remove the presumption in designated areas of concern.

As reported by The Lines, new council powers move away from ‘Aim to Permit’, giving local authorities greater control as betting shop closures and black market risks emerge. GIAs (Gambling Impact Areas) are a clear shift away from the long-standing ‘Aim to Permit’ principle. Aim to Permit has historically required licensing authorities to always approve applications – unless specific conditions are breached.

Under the proposed GIA system, local authorities would instead be able to assess gambling-related harm in their area, introduce a presumption against new licences in identified locations, and use evidence-based assessments to refuse applications.

What objections have local councillors raised?

As reported by the London Evening Standard, the ward councillor for Dollis Hill, which sits between Willesden and Neasden, has raised a strong objection to the Merkur Slots plan, highlighting the “detrimental impact” it would have on the area and its potential to contribute to “social harm within the community”. Cllr Liz Dixon described the company as

“exploitative, grossly unwelcome and inappropriate”

and accused it of “consistently targeting deprived areas”.

Cllr Dixon claims these findings underscore the need to reduce the number of gambling establishments in order to “mitigate harm and protect vulnerable populations”.

Cllr Dixon suggests adding another venue into the mix will “compound these issues” by fuelling “a vicious cycle of harm, addiction, and despair”.

The latest application, set to come before Brent Council’s Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Sub-Committee on March 28, has also prompted six residents to submit representations.

They are concerned about the site being located next to a bus stop where it could “harm and exploit” large numbers of children who gather there to travel to and from school every day. They also fear the cumulative impact it could have on antisocial behaviour.

One resident wrote:

“The area already has problems with street drinkers and drug users; it will only encourage more poverty from people who are already suffering. This shopping precinct is deteriorating but this does not mean that we recoup business rates by just filling spaces best left empty or a meanwhile charity shop as the residents might appreciate some help of a genuine type”.

What does Cllr Butt say about representing residents after the election?

As reported in the original statement, Cllr Muhammed Butt said:

“While I’m delighted to be back serving the borough I love after the local election, I will not shy away from telling readers that these were not the results we wanted”.

“Regardless, Labour will work harder than ever to show we are on the side of residents and whether you voted for us or not, we will represent you without fear or favour”.

“One issue where we’ve campaigned shoulder to shoulder with residents is the spread of gambling premises on our high streets”.

“This is not because we’re against every flutter, but because we can see in high street after high street, the damage caused by laws that let gambling premises open where they are least wanted”.

What powers does Cllr Butt want for local authorities?

As reported by the London Evening Standard, Cllr Butt wants local authorities to have more power to reject licence applications that it feels “threatens the community’s welfare and safety” but until then the council has little power to stop them.

Whilst there is a cap on the number of bookmakers that can be opened in a particular area, there is no such limit on bingo halls and adult gaming centres – which provides a possible loophole for such companies.

Cllr Butt wants local authorities to have more power to reject licence applications that it feels

“threatens the community’s welfare and safety”

but until then the council has little power to stop them – largely due to the Gambling Act’s “Aim To Permit” duty, which makes councils prioritise approval.

Brent Council, alongside 43 other councils, has been calling on the government to change the law and provide stronger powers to stop the proliferation of gambling shops opening on our high streets. Councillor Mili Patel, Deputy Leader of Brent Council, said:

“A national law means that local authorities are constrained in their ability to object to licencing applications because the Gambling Act contains an ‘Aim to Permit’ rule, tilting towards granting premises licences rather than addressing gambling harms”.

Background: The Development of Brent’s Gambling Crackdown Campaign

Cllr Muhammed Butt’s campaign against gambling shops has developed over several years as Brent Council identified the growing concentration of gambling premises across the borough. The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) conducted by Brent Council provided the foundational data showing 6.2% problem gamblers and £14.3m annual costs.

The assessment revealed Brent was ranked fifth among local authorities with the highest number of betting shops per capita.

The campaign gained momentum when Butt wrote to the government urging it to tighten laws on gambling venues after describing new licensing applications in Harlesden, Willesden, and Neasden as

“grossly unwelcome and inappropriate”.

In April 2025, Butt successfully rallied 38 local authorities to join Brent’s coalition, representing over 12 million residents across the UK. The coalition wrote to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy requesting urgent reforms.

The campaign focuses on reforming the “Aim to Permit” policy embedded in the Gambling Act 2005, which has historically required licensing authorities to approve applications unless specific conditions are breached. Butt’s “Six Point Plan for Change” emerged as the coalition’s formal blueprint for reform. By April 2026, new laws giving councils greater influence passed their third reading in the House of Lords, marking a significant legislative development.

Prediction: How This Development Can affect North London Residents and High Street Businesses

Residents in North London wards including Harlesden, Willesden, Neasden, and Wembley will likely experience reduced exposure to gambling premises if the proposed reforms succeed.

Young people, who are three times more likely to exhibit problem gambling habits, may face fewer opportunities for impulsive gambling near schools and bus stops. Ethnic minorities, who experience “disproportionately higher rates of harm,” could see reduced gambling saturation in their communities.

However, residents may face continued frustration if reforms delay, as councils remain “effectively powerless” under current legislation.

The £14.3m annual gambling-related harm cost to Brent could persist without legislative change. Families experiencing financial desperation during the cost-of-living crisis may continue accessing gambling facilities more easily than supermarkets in some wards.

Impact on High Street Businesses

Independent businesses on North London high streets could benefit from reduced gambling shop saturation, potentially creating space for thriving retailers. Willesden Green’s high street, described as having

“untapped potential filled with thriving independent businesses,”

may see improved commercial viability if gambling premises decrease. Shopping precincts deteriorating due to street drinkers and drug users associated with gambling areas could experience improved conditions.

However, gambling operators may challenge refusals through appeals, potentially creating uncertainty for businesses planning long-term investments.

The lack of caps on bingo halls and adult gaming centres currently provides loopholes that could persist until reforms complete. Businesses may need to monitor whether the “Aim to Permit” framework remains in place with only modified presumptions.

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Impact on Local Councils and Councillors

Local authorities across the 38-council coalition will gain enhanced powers to designate areas where new gambling premises could be deemed harmful if reforms receive Royal Assent.

Councillors like Cllr Liz Dixon will have stronger legal backing for objections to gambling applications. Council leaders will need to develop evidence-based assessments demonstrating gambling-related harm to refuse applications effectively.

Councils may face increased licensing application challenges as operators attempt to bypass stronger rules before implementation.

The statutory levy on gambling operators for research, education, and treatment could provide local health authorities with funding if implemented. Councils will need to balance allowing appeals while maintaining refusal decisions aligned with licensing objectives.