UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has made commitments to what many local governments have long been calling for – more planning powers for gambling shops.

During yesterday’s PMQs, Dawn Butler MP – a representative for the constituency of Brent East – pressed Starmer on the matter, with his subsequent answer coming as a bit of a surprise.

The central government has refrained from comments on the issue up until that point, but yesterday Starmer gave Butler assurance that local authorities will get additional powers to control the extent of gambling shops on the high street.

“It is important that local authorities are given additional tools and powers to ensure vibrant high streets. We are looking, Mr Speaker, at introducing cumulative impact assessments.

“These are like those already in place for alcohol licensing. We will give councils stronger powers over the location and numbers of gambling outlets to help create safe, thriving, high streets.”

Today at #PMQs I welcomed the Govt’s plans to give councils stronger powers over gambling outlets but we must go further.

The outdated ‘aim to permit’ rules must end. Gambling Tax must go up.

Give communities & high streets an opportunity to thrive. pic.twitter.com/bqzCOlXy7S

— Dawn Butler (@DawnButlerBrent) September 3, 2025

Tracing back Butler’s request, it was in April when Brent Council and 38 other local governments co-signed a letter to DCMS Secretary Lisa Nandy, in which they asked for more powers to control planning permissions of gaming venues in their areas.

Butler does not have a role in Brent Council, instead serving as MP for the local constituency in the House of Commons. However, it seems that her opinions around gambling, particularly retail gambling, align very closely with her neighbours in the local government.

There is currently a clause in the 2005 Gambling Act called “aim to permit”, which puts a legal duty on the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the relevant licensing authorities to aim to permit gambling as long as it reasonably falls within licensing objectives. 

This has been criticised by reform advocates as leaning more in favour of approving gaming shop applications. 

A key change that councils want to see is a reform to this ‘aim to permit’ policy, so that planning assessments factor in the overall household debt levels within local areas.

Additionally, local authorities also want permission to reject licences if they see them as threatening the community welfare, and prohibit gambling advertising when necessary.

This is something that Sadiq Khan promised to do for the London Underground before he got elected, but is yet to deliver on. He has been facing calls to make good on this pledge by members of the London Assembly, including the London Assembly Health Committee (LAHC).

Gambling is seemingly getting pressed on all sides, with a potential tax hike also looming over the horizon. The UK Treasury is considering combining the three types of gambling tax under the single Remote Gaming Duty at 21%.

Whether or not policymakers decide to go through with this will be announced in the next Autumn Budget, which will be revealed on 26 November.