Gambling regulation in the UK is split between Gambling Commission and Local Authorities. The Gambling Commission regulates remote gambling (this includes online gambling) and licences personal and operator licences. Local Authorities regulate non-remote gambling and licences premises.

As a Local Authority Tower Hamlets is a Licensing Authority under the Gambling Act 2005. This involves:

• Publishing Statement of Licensing Policy which determines our approach to the Licensing of Gambling Premises within the borough.
• considering applications and issuing licences for premises where gambling takes place, with conditions where appropriate.
• issuing permits for some forms of gambling
• reviewing or revoking premises licences where they fail to promote one or more of the three gambling objectives.
• undertaking inspection and enforcement activities, including tackling illegal gambling.

Consultation – Why do we want your views

We are reviewing our Statement of Gambling Policy 2022 to 2025. Before we make our decision on this reviewed policy, we must carry out a statutory consultation. The consultation will run for just over 6 weeks commencing on 3rd February 2025 and finishing at 23:59 hours on 21st March 2025.

The Gambling Act 2005 has three licensing objectives that a Licensing Authority must incorporate into any policy.

These are:

1. Preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime;
2. Ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way;
3. Protecting children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

In connection with this statutory consultation, we would welcome your views in relation the proposed policy. We would be grateful if you could read through our Draft Statement of Gambling Policy 2025 – 2028, and if you wish view the Table of Changes, and provide any comments you may have in the boxes below.

We would also appreciate if you could complete the survey to assist us in our approach to gambling and give more insight into your views on gambling within the borough.

You can comment on the proposed policy via the boxes below, or make comments post or email.

Email: licensing@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Trading Standards and Licensing Team

Regulatory Services (Commercial)

Communities Directorate

Floor Tower Hamlets Town Hall

160 Whitechapel Road

London E1 1BJ

Consultation will close at 23:59 hours on 21st March 2025.