Betting shop

Scale

In 2016, there were around 9,000 betting shops located in the UK. The number of shops grew rapidly in the 21st century. One street in Newham has the largest number of bookmakers concentrated in one place: 18 on the street and about 80 in a local zone.{{Cite news |access-date=2016-07-15

Legislation

Off-course betting was illegal until the Betting and Gaming Act 1960 was introduced although bets could be placed at a racecourse ("on-course") on any event, even races not being held at that course. Credit betting by post or telephone was legal because of a loophole in the law of "resorting to a house for the purpose of betting" was taken to mean physically resorting to the house, rather than simply communicating with someone there. Windows were required to be covered. Gambling in the United Kingdom is regulated by The Gambling Commission and the Gambling Act 2005.

It is also illegal to allow children under 18 into a betting shop. A 2009 investigation determined that 98 out of 100 betting shops visited would allow children to place a bet.

Facilities

At a betting shop, there are typically noticeboards listing the racing form for the day's horse racing from trade issues of the Racing Post or a similar equestrian publication.

Most betting shops now offer free tea and coffee to attract punters. They usually have large televisions covering all the events, like an American sports bar. Until 1986, they were not allowed to have live broadcast coverage, but the bookmaker often had a small portable television or transistor radio hidden behind the counter. Because punters could not see or hear live coverage, some bookmakers deceived punters by claiming a different result from the actual one or otherwise altered the declared starting price.{{cite book

That changed in 1986, and Satellite Information Services was formed to screen live races to betting shops. Greyhound races are timed to the second on the feed pictures ever since a scam that intercepted and slightly delayed the broadcast feed for greyhound races, which typically last less than two minutes. By delaying the feed slightly, an accomplice on-course who had already seen the result could communicate by telephone with one in a betting shop off-course, who would bet on a racing certainty.

The larger chains also operate at sports grounds, where bets are placed using pre-printed betting slips. Winnings from bets placed at these facilities can then usually be collected on site, by post or from one of the high street branches.

Fixed-odds betting terminals

In 2013-2014 there was significant controversy with more betting shops springing up on high streets in the United Kingdom, encouraging poor people to gamble, especially to play fixed odds betting terminals. Betting shops are strictly regulated in the number of machines they can have and the payout that they can provide.{{Cite web

A £2 stake limit was introduced for fixed odds betting terminals in 2019.

References

References

1. Sheerin, Brian. "Confusion reigns in Ireland as government edict states betting shops should shut".
2. "How many betting shops are there in the UK?".
3. Foy, Simon. (2020-08-05). "William Hill warns in-store betting will never recover". The Telegraph.
4. Herbert, A. P.. (1935). "[[Uncommon Law]]". [[Methuen Publishing]].
5. "The big gamble: the dangerous world of British betting shops".
6. "Guidance to licensing authorities".
7. "98% of bookies allow under-age to bet".
8. {{usurped
9. (2019-03-31). "New limits on FOBT gambling machines could shut third of outlets". Financial Times.