The Lambeth Council cabinet is scheduled to meet on Monday 15 December 2025, at Lambeth Town Hall, to discuss several items. The most significant item appears to be the Lambeth Statement of Principles for Gambling 2025-2028, which the council is required to publish every three years. The cabinet will also review the minutes from the previous meeting.

Lambeth Statement of Principles for Gambling 2025-2028

The cabinet is scheduled to discuss and consider adopting the Lambeth Statement of Principles for Gambling 2025-2028¹, which defines how the council will exercise its responsibilities under the Gambling Act 2005. The report pack includes the Lambeth Statement of Principles for Gambling 2025-2028, and several appendices including the Appendix 2 Summary of Changes, the Appendix 3 Equalities Impact Assessment, the Appendix 4 Summary of Policy Consultation and the Appendix 1 Statement of Gambling Policy 2025 -2028 1225. The report pack notes that the proposed changes to the gambling policy include:

• Mandatory treatment service consultation for new applications or variations outside midday to 10pm, with applicants required to demonstrate engagement with local addiction support providers.
• Operators are required to demonstrate how they will contribute to vulnerable persons falling into harmful gambling cycles as part of operational schedules.
• Removing the existing no casino resolution made under section 166 of the Gambling Act 2005.
• An update to the definition of vulnerable persons, including shift workers, late-night/early gamblers, young adults, people with mental health conditions, and those experiencing debt or homelessness.
• Suggested risk assessment templates for existing licence holders and applicants.
• An updated Local Area Profile, including revisions to the Gambling Vulnerability Zones.
• Changes to the Gambling Clusters, reducing them from seven to five.
• Inclusion of public health data around gambling-related harms.
• Pointers from the Metropolitan Police Service to applicants and existing premises around effective management and crime prevention.

The report pack states that the updated draft policy outlines that new applications or variations that fall outside the hours of midday to 10pm are subject to mandatory treatment service consultation.

The report pack also notes that the council can issue a resolution not to issue casino licences, and that the current Statement of Gambling Principles for 2022 - 2025 includes this 'no casinos' resolution, with the most recent resolution passed in January 2023. However, the proposed revised Statement of Gambling Principles for 2025-2028 will remove the 'no casino' resolution. The report pack explains that this is because of restrictions that already exist under Section 175 of the Act, which limits the number of new Casino Licences which can be granted nationally, and because Lambeth did not originally bid for one of the new licences, meaning the borough would be prohibited from accepting an application for a new casino licence currently.

The report pack states that the consultation on the proposals closed on 7 December 2025, and that the cabinet will be fully appraised with an update on the consultation results.

The report pack also includes a table summarising the changes to the Lambeth Gambling Policy which states that the number of gambling clusters has reduced from 7 to 5. The clusters were originally:

1. South Bank and Waterloo
2. Kennington
3. Clapham High Street
4. Central Brixton
5. West Norwood
6. Streatham Hill
7. St. Leonard's

and are now:

1. Waterloo & South Bank
2. Clapham High Street
3. Central Brixton
4. Streatham Hill
5. St Leonard's

The report pack states that the Licensing Authority has consulted with the Metropolitan Police (Lambeth Borough Commander and Lambeth Licensing Unit), individuals and organisations who hold Premises Licences issued by this Licensing Authority under this Act, representative bodies within the gambling and leisure industry, all elected Ward Councillors, Responsible Authorities identified under the Act, and Lambeth Forums, Licensing Committee, Tenants' and Residents' Associations, and Business Improvement Districts.

The report pack also includes an Equalities Impact Assessment, which states that the policy will not adversely affect the holders of existing premises licences, those applying to hold licences, Responsible Authorities under the Gambling Act 2005, council officers, and existing and potential residents of the borough.

Minutes of Previous Meeting

The cabinet is also scheduled to review the Minutes of Previous Meeting, from the meeting held on 24 November 2025.