Plans for a 24-hour gambling centre in the city of Gloucester have been rejected.
iLudo Limited wanted permission to change the opening hours of the BeLucky adult gaming centre on Westgate Street.
The opening hours are from 9am to midnight on Monday to Thursday, 9am to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays and it closes at 10pm on Sundays and bank holidays.
The proposal to remove the condition and allow 24-hour opening times for the site was considered by Gloucester City Council’s planning committee earlier this week before a verdict was made.
Local residents raised concerns surrounding noise levels and antisocial behaviour – but the council’s noise advisors and officers recommended approving the scheme.
What stopped plans from progressing was the serious concerns councillors had regarding the impact gambling has on people’s mental health.
Councillor Andrew Lewis voted against it on the premise the council would be “pandering to addiction.”
Councillor Stephanie Chambers agreed with Lewis’ concerns and in the meeting she spoke about how former MP Richard Graham dealt with at least three cases of suicides in young men from Gloucester linked to gambling.
There is a McDonalds nearby and Councillor Roseanna Marshall thought that people hanging around the restaurant until its closing time would then move over to the gambling centre.
Earlier this year a similar case saw a controversial Surrey casino apply for a 24/7 gambling license despite strong local opposition.
In Dublin, Ireland, plans to build a new 24-hour gambling arcade were met with severe backlash by the HSE Addiction Service.
Councillor Pam Tracey said the plans were not appropriate for Gloucester, explaining: “I don’t think it’s needed there. Westgate is the most historic street in Gloucester with the cathedral as well.
“It’s the setting where this place is. This is not Las Vegas.”
Many believed the development would not improve the environmental quality of Gloucester and the committee voted unanimously to reject the proposals.
Joe Lyons is a betting industry writer for GamblingIndustryNews with years of experience on reputable gambling websites. Joe specialises in long form content in the world of sports betting and gambling. Joe is recognised as an expert in sports fields such as horse racing, soccer, NFL and NBA.
