Lewisham Gambling Policy Consultation 2027-2030 Lewisham 2026

Key Points

• Lewisham Council has opened a five-week consultation on its draft Gambling Policy for 2027-2030.
• Residents, people who gamble and people affected by gambling-related harm are being asked to give their views.
• The policy will guide how the council carries out its licensing responsibilities under the Gambling Act 2005.
• The council must review and publish its gambling policy at least once every three years.
• Councillor Leni Candan said the proposed policy places a stronger focus on protecting young people and people vulnerable to gambling-related harm.
• The council says the draft would set clearer expectations for gambling operators to identify local risks and explain how they will reduce possible harm.
• Feedback from the consultation will be used to shape the final policy before it is considered by Lewisham Council.
• The consultation is due to close on Sunday, 8 November.
• The consultation follows a Planning Inspectorate decision earlier this year which overturned Lewisham Council’s refusal of a proposed adult gaming centre in Catford.
• Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to remove the “aim to permit” rule in gambling legislation, which has limited councils’ ability to refuse some gambling premises applications.

Lewisham (South London News) October 8, 2026 – Lewisham Council has launched a consultation on a proposed Gambling Policy for 2027-2030, inviting people who gamble, residents and those affected by gambling-related harm to help shape the way gambling premises are regulated in the borough.

What is Lewisham Council consulting residents about?

LewishamLewisham Council on October 8, 2026, is asking residents to comment on its draft Gambling Policy for 2027-2030, which would set out the principles used by the authority when carrying out its responsibilities for gambling premises licensing.

The consultation is scheduled to run for five weeks. Residents are being encouraged to submit their views before the closing date of Sunday, 8 November.

As reported by Ruby Gregory of MyLondon, the council has said it particularly wants to hear from people who gamble, as well as people whose lives have been affected by gambling-related harm. Responses will be considered while the council prepares the final version of the policy for formal consideration.

The draft policy concerns the borough’s approach to premises such as betting shops, casinos, adult gaming centres and other gambling venues that require licences. It does not itself change national gambling law, but it provides the local framework that Lewisham Council will use when making licensing decisions within the powers available to it.

Lewisham Council is required to review and publish its Gambling Policy at least every three years. The document sets out the principles the authority intends to apply when exercising licensing functions under the Gambling Act 2005.

According to Lewisham Council’s consultation information, the Gambling Policy is a legal requirement for licensing authorities. The authority says the document plays a role in regulating gambling activity and managing the risk of gambling-related harm in the borough.

Why does Lewisham Council need a Gambling Policy?

The Gambling Act 2005 places duties on councils that act as licensing authorities, including Lewisham Council, in relation to certain gambling premises. A local authority’s gambling policy sets out how it plans to perform those licensing duties.

The policy is not a blanket ban on gambling premises and does not replace the national rules that govern gambling. Instead, it is intended to explain the local considerations that may be relevant when an operator applies for a premises licence, seeks a variation to an existing licence or is subject to licensing oversight.

The consultation document states that the council’s policy will establish the principles it applies when carrying out its functions under the Gambling Act 2005. These functions can include assessing licence applications, considering representations from interested parties and deciding whether conditions should be attached to licences where the law allows.

The council has said it wants the policy to reflect local evidence and local experience. This includes the experiences of people who use gambling services, families affected by gambling-related harm, community groups and other residents.

A consultation gives residents an opportunity to tell the council whether the draft policy identifies the right issues, whether its proposed approach is clear, and whether there are local concerns which should be considered before the policy is finalised.

What does the proposed policy say about protecting vulnerable people?

Councillor Leni Candan, the chair of Lewisham Council’s Licensing Committee and councillor for Evelyn ward, said the draft policy has a stronger focus on safeguarding young people and people who may be vulnerable to gambling-related harm.

As reported by Ruby Gregory of MyLondon, Councillor Candan said:

“Gambling affects people, families and communities in different ways, so it is important that our policy reflects as wide a range of local experiences as possible.”

She added:

“It would also set clearer expectations for gambling operators to identify any local risks and explain the steps they will take to reduce the potential for harm.”

The council has said the proposals would strengthen the relationship between local evidence, risk assessments prepared by operators and licensing decisions made by the authority.

That could mean that applicants for gambling premises licences are expected to show that they have considered the circumstances around a proposed site and the potential risks associated with it. The council has indicated that operators should be clear about what steps they would take to reduce possible harm.

The focus on young people and people at risk of gambling-related harm reflects the licensing objectives set out in the Gambling Act 2005. These include preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way, and protecting children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

However, Lewisham Council’s policy would operate within the legal framework set nationally. Any decisions would still have to take account of the evidence supplied in individual applications and the requirements of gambling legislation.

Why is the Catford adult gaming centre decision relevant?

The consultation is taking place after a planning and licensing dispute involving a proposed adult gaming centre in Catford.

According to MyLondon, Lewisham Council had previously refused an application for a new adult gaming centre in Catford. That refusal was later overturned by the national Planning Inspectorate.

The decision drew attention to the limits on councils’ ability to stop certain gambling premises under the current legal framework. In particular, the report referred to the “aim to permit” provision in the Gambling Act 2005.

The “aim to permit” rule has meant that licensing authorities must generally grant gambling premises licences where applications meet the applicable legal requirements, unless there are grounds within the legislation to refuse them. Councils can consider local evidence and the licensing objectives, but their discretion is shaped by the national law.

For Lewisham residents, the Catford case provides context for why the council is consulting on a stronger local policy while also operating within restrictions set by Parliament. The proposed policy may set expectations and guide decisions, but it cannot remove or override statutory duties.

The council’s consultation therefore seeks views on the local approach it should take under its existing powers, including its approach to assessing gambling-related risks and protecting people who may be vulnerable.

What has the Prime Minister said about gambling premises powers?

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to give councils more influence over the opening of gambling premises and vape shops on high streets.

The Government has said it plans to scrap the “aim to permit” rule, which makes it more difficult for local authorities to prevent new betting shops and adult gaming centres from opening where operators meet the existing licensing requirements.

The proposed changes would give councils a stronger role in deciding what businesses can open in their local areas. The Government has also said new adult gaming centres, including venues offering extended access to slot and fruit machines, would require planning permission.

These national proposals have not yet replaced the existing Gambling Act framework. Until legal changes take effect, Lewisham Council must continue to carry out its licensing responsibilities under the law currently in force.

The Government’s stated plans are relevant to Lewisham because any reform of the “aim to permit” rule could affect the balance between councils, applicants and communities in future gambling premises decisions.

If changes are introduced, they could give borough councils more scope to take account of local concerns when considering applications for betting shops, adult gaming centres and related premises. The precise effect would depend on the final legislation, regulations and guidance adopted nationally.

Who can respond to the consultation and when does it close?

Lewisham Council has invited all residents to take part in the consultation, with particular interest in hearing from people who gamble and people who have experienced gambling-related harm directly or through a family member, friend or community.

The consultation is available through Lewisham Council’s consultation platform and concerns the draft Gambling Policy for 2027-2030.

Residents may wish to consider whether the policy adequately addresses local gambling-related risks, whether it provides sufficient protection for children and vulnerable people, and whether it gives clear enough expectations to businesses seeking gambling premises licences.

The council will use the feedback it receives to inform the final policy before it is taken forward for consideration. The consultation closes on Sunday, 8 November.

Background: What is the context behind Lewisham’s Gambling Policy review?

Lewisham Council is legally required to publish a gambling policy every three years under the Gambling Act 2005. The policy outlines how the council will use its role as a licensing authority for gambling premises in the borough.

The 2027-2030 draft follows the existing policy period and comes at a time of wider national debate over the level of control councils should have over betting shops, casinos and adult gaming centres.

The issue gained particular local relevance after the Planning Inspectorate overturned Lewisham Council’s refusal of a proposed adult gaming centre in Catford. The case highlighted the impact of the Gambling Act’s “aim to permit” rule, which constrains councils in some licensing decisions.

At national level, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has proposed removing that rule and requiring planning permission for new adult gaming centres. Those proposals indicate a possible future shift towards greater local authority control, although the present consultation concerns Lewisham’s policy under the existing legal framework.

Prediction: How could this affect Lewisham residents and gambling operators?

For Lewisham residents, the consultation could influence how clearly the borough’s future Gambling Policy reflects local concerns about gambling-related harm, the protection of children and vulnerable people, and the location of gambling premises within neighbourhoods.

People with experience of gambling-related harm may be able to help the council identify risks that are not fully captured by general licensing data or standard operator assessments. Their responses could shape the wording, priorities and evidence base used in the final policy.

For gambling operators and prospective applicants, the proposed approach could mean clearer expectations about local risk assessments and the steps businesses should take to reduce potential harm. Operators may need to demonstrate more explicitly how their proposals respond to the circumstances of a particular area.

For community groups and local councillors, the final policy could provide a more detailed basis for commenting on future gambling premises applications. However, decisions would remain subject to national legislation and the powers available to Lewisham Council at the time an application is considered.

If the Government later removes the “aim to permit” rule as proposed, councils such as Lewisham may gain additional influence over new gambling premises. Until then, the 2027-2030 policy is likely to be most important as a guide to how the council gathers local evidence, assesses risks and applies its current licensing responsibilities.