Over 1/3 of betting shops are in the most deprived 10% of council wards in NI, charity finds
New data compiled by the social policy charity CARE and published on 19 September reveals that there are 312 active betting shop licences in Northern Ireland with the majority of shops clustered in areas which are ranked highest in the deprivation index.
The research found that 36.54% of betting shops were in the 10% most deprived council wards in Northern Ireland and that 82.69% were found in the 50% most deprived council wards across the province. Not a single betting shop was located in the 10% most privileged council wards in Northern Ireland.
Using the existing council ward boundaries, the charity’s analysis showed that 14 council wards had at least 4 betting shops within their boundaries. The ward with the most betting shops in Northern Ireland was the Shaftesbury ward, with 14 betting shops located in the area. This was followed by the Falls ward which hosted 8 shops.
The Minister of Social Development, who has responsibility for gambling, represents the Assembly constituency home to the most betting shops, according to CARE’s analysis of constituency figures. Nelson McCausland’s North Belfast constituency topped the chart with a total of 31 shops. This was closely followed by Foyle with 29. The constituency with the least betting shops was North Down with 9.
Professor Jim Orford, of the University of Birmingham and Gambling Watch UK, said:
“This important piece of analysis shows how the provision of betting shops is concentrated in poorer areas in Northern Ireland. It is consistent with parallel findings from elsewhere in the UK and also with similar findings about the concentration of gambling machines in clubs and hotels in poorer areas in Australia.
“The betting companies will protest that they do not target poorer areas but I find that disingenuous. They may not explicitly target poorer communities but they surely carry out market research which tells them in which social–demographic categories their most profitable customers are likely to be found. Since place and socio–demographics are correlated, that is tantamount to targeting areas.
“Even if the industry will not acknowledge it, governments certainly should face up to the fact that the unequal distribution of betting shops results in large transfers of money from poorer areas into the pockets of people who most likely live elsewhere.”
Mark Baillie, Public Affairs Officer for CARE in Northern Ireland, commented on the findings:
“Our research picks up a disturbing trend in the distribution of betting shops in Northern Ireland, similar to that exposed in the rest of the UK. It is a matter of real concern to us that gambling shops are appearing to cluster around some of the most deprived areas in Northern Ireland. The big operators seem to be targeting poorer people in order to extract as much profit as possible from the communities that will feel it the most.”
“With new gambling legislation due to come to the Northern Ireland Assembly before the end of this year, we would encourage members of the Assembly and the Minister of Social Development to closely consider how we can seek to prevent the clustering of gambling shops in areas of deprivation in our province.”