The Islington Council Licensing Committee was scheduled to meet on 13 November 2025 to discuss the draft Islington Gambling Policy, and Islington's Experience Economy, and to review their work programme for the coming year.

Draft Islington Gambling Policy 2026-28

The committee was scheduled to discuss the adoption of the Statement of Principles for 2026-2028, which explains how the council intends to meet its responsibilities under the Gambling Act 2005 as the Licensing Authority. The report pack also notes that the committee would consider renewing the council's resolution not to issue any casino licences for the next three years.

The Statement of Principles sets out how the council proposes to apply the Gambling Act 2005 in the borough for the three years beginning 1 January 2026. It is intended to:

• inform applicants how the council will make licensing decisions and how licensed premises are likely to be able to operate within its area
• set out how the Authority intends to support responsible operators and take effective actions against irresponsible operators
• support the Authority in making licensing decisions

The council is required to consider the following licensing objectives:

• Protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.
• Preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime.
• Ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way.

The report pack notes that the Gambling Act 2005 requires councils to 'aim to permit' licenced gambling premises. However, it also recognises that gambling can be harmful, and that the guidance issued by the Gambling Commission allows councils to consider local area profiles and risk assessments when making decisions about new applications.

The Statement of Principles identifies the protection of children and vulnerable people as a priority. It identifies several gambling vulnerability zones in the borough, using local area profile data, to inform applicants about specific risks to be addressed in their operating plans.

The council first passed a 'no-casino' resolution in 2007, and has renewed it every three years since. The most recent resolution was passed on 8 December 2022, and is due to expire on 31 December 2025.

The report pack notes that a consultation on the draft Statement of Principles was conducted between 23 June 2025 and 8 September 2025. Consultees included the police, public health officials, planning officers, existing gambling premises licence holders, and Betknowmore UK, a charity based in Islington providing specialist support on gambling harms. The consultation process also included resident engagement via Let's Talk Islington between 18 July and 7 September.

The council received six written responses, including a report from a focus group of residents organised by Betknowmore UK, and three responses via Let's Talk. Key changes made to the draft Statement of Principles to reflect consultation feedback include:

• The removal of specific planning policies on gambling premises, including reference to the Local Plan Policy R8¹
• Amending the council's approach to opening hours for Adult Gaming Centres to encourage applicants to propose opening hours consistent with the licensing objective to prevent gambling activities being a source or associated with crime and disorder
• Replacing the model conditions in the appendix with best practice guidance for gambling operators, including reference to minimum staffing levels, gambling operators sharing data on gambling harm intervention, use of specialist training providers and promoting referral pathways
• Amending the wording on the approach to 'split premises' to reflect Gambling Commission Guidance

The consultation on the continuation of the 'no casino policy' for a further 3 years received no objections from residents, businesses or stakeholders.

Appendix 2 of the report pack contains the consultation responses. These include letters from Poppleston Allen, a law firm representing various gambling industry clients, including Bacta, Merkur Slots UK Limited, and the Bingo Association. These letters raise concerns about the policy, particularly the proposals to resist new gambling premises where they would result in an unacceptable concentration. Poppleston Allen argues that this contradicts the requirement for a Licensing Authority to 'aim to permit' the use of premises for gambling under section 153 of the Gambling Act 2005. They also argue that the proposed 500m radius assessment to be considered when determining concentration is arbitrary and not based on evidence. The letters also raise concerns about proposals to resist betting shops and adult gaming centres within town centres and local shopping areas, and about the council's approach to adult gaming centre opening hours and minimum staffing levels.

The report pack also includes a report from a focus group on gambling and licenced gambling premises in Islington. The focus group participants agreed that betting shops and gambling centres are highly visible on the high streets of the borough, and that they can attract vulnerable people. They also felt that betting shops and gaming centres are very obviously located in the more deprived areas of the borough. The focus group participants suggested that the council could provide or fund the provision of alternative social spaces, support the development of affordability checks, encourage schools to educate children on gambling, and help fund the provision of gambling support groups.

Appendix 3 of the report pack contains the council's response to the consultation feedback. The council states that it has deleted paragraphs summarising the relevant planning policies, amended the wording on minimum staffing levels, and amended Appendix 3 by replacing the model conditions with guidance for applicants. However, the council states that it has considered the feedback and the sections relating to gambling vulnerability zones will be retained, as protecting children and vulnerable people from gambling related harms is a key objective for the council.

Islington's Experience Economy: How culture, creative and night-time economies can support inclusive growth

The committee was scheduled to discuss a report on Islington's experience economy, which includes its live music, theatre, food and beverage offer, cultural and creative scene, and markets.

The report pack notes that the London Growth Plan recognises the importance of the night-time and experience economy, and highlights the following places in Islington as having broad visitor appeal and growth potential:

• Angel
• Clerkenwell
• Arsenal

The report pack identifies the following areas as clusters of experience economy activity:

• Angel: known for live music, theatre, canalside pubs and pre-theatre dining offers
• Clerkenwell: home to high-end restaurants, bars, clubs and a host of architecture and design practices who host Clerkenwell Design Week each summer. With Bunhill² a major NTE hotspot after midnight.
• Finsbury Park: highlighted in Islington's Local Plan as a night-time economy hotspot, its varied food offer and wealth of independent businesses is representative of Islington's diverse communities.
• Archway: designated a Creative Enterprise Zone by the Mayor of London in 2023, and home to a cluster of grassroots organisations including fine artists, performing arts, digital creatives, and freelancers of all stripes.
• Arsenal: always a destination, but the popularity of the women's game is driving up its significance to a wider and newer audience.
• Brewery Road: home to successful production organisations such as Big Sky Studios.

The report pack notes that Islington is host to 14 National Portfolio Organisations³, and that the 'traditional' creative economy attracts £81m per year into the borough, and employs 18,000 people.

The report pack highlights the importance of the Cultural and Creative sectors as a driver for economic growth and inclusion, whilst recognising that barriers to growth exist, including:

• Skills shortages and lack of clear recruitment pathways
• Difficulty securing and maintaining affordable space in which to work, create, and perform
• Lack of access to local networks and datasets /information about the wider sector.
• Licensing, Planning and other regulatory barriers, especially for night-time economy businesses.

The report pack notes that there are circa 2,000 food businesses in Islington, 1400 licenced premises that sell alcohol, and 214 'cultural' organisations. The Islington Late Night Levy (LNL) is paid by any business serving alcohol past midnight, and the income generated is spent on Night Safe Patrols, and additional police. The costs of the LNL for a medium pub may be circa £800 per annum, with a 30% discount scheme to recognise high standards of management in relation to noise, customer behaviour and customer experience. Currently only 30 businesses take up the LNL discount scheme.

The report pack identifies opportunities to support and grow Islington's Experience Economy, including:

• Non-alcohol events and early evening activations to encourage outdoor dining
• A Finsbury Park NTE study to conclude in March 2026 and recommend night-time economy projects
• A creative internships programme to support with recruitment pathways
• Supporting Clerkenwell Design week via SAG and wider support
• Leveraging the popularity of Arsenal women's matches

The report pack includes a case study of Hackney Nights, a 'portal' for all Late Night Levy payers in Hackney, to bring all relevant information into one place.

The report pack poses a number of questions for discussion, including:

• Gaps in approach?
• Good practice to consider?
• Themes that we should be addressing?
• How do we embed a 'social value' approach into the levers we do have?

Work Programme 2025-26

The committee was scheduled to discuss its work programme for 2025-26. No details of the proposed work programme were included in the report pack.