Recovering gambling addict Paul Merson and a campaign poster outside the Emirates Stadium three years ago

GAMBLING venues in Camden’s most deprived areas could face tighter licensing conditions under a new council policy.

Areas including the Euston-King’s Cross-St Pancras “corridor”, Bloomsbury, Camden Town, Kilburn and parts of Gospel Oak and Kentish Town are among those that the Town Hall has flagged as being at the “highest risk of vulnerability to gambling-related harm”, because of transport interchanges, student populations, homelessness and deprivation.

There are believed to be at least 600 residents gambling at harmful levels and a further 5,000 at risk from 45 licensed venues, according to a report to the Town Hall.

New casinos or slots venues in these areas would not be blocked outright but could be ordered to have extra security and restricted opening hours under Camden’s Gambling Policy, which has been updated and is open to public feedback for the next three months.

But there could still be further changes ahead after the Prime Minister announced this week that his government will seek to scrap the “aim to permit” rule – a legacy of the 2005 Gambling Act that limits councils’ powers to block gambling venues from their high streets.

Presenting a report to the Town Hall last month, licensing manager William Sasu said: “Interestingly, there has been a shift from physical gambling premises to online gambling, which is outside our scope, and that accounts for some of the reduction in the number of complaints related to Camden.”

Residents have until October 25 to give feedback on Camden’s new gambling policy.

In 2023, former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson launched a campaign about the crushing impact of gambling.

l You can access free and confidential advice from GambleAware or contact the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.