Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of adult gaming centres on trends in the level of gambling harms in deprived areas .

We do not hold official data on the relationship between deprivation and participation in gambling at adult gaming centres.

As part of the Pride in Place Strategy, published on 25 September, the Government reaffirmed its commitment to introducing cumulative impact assessments (CIAs) for gambling licensing when parliamentary time allows. The introduction of CIAs, alongside the broad range of powers already available to local authorities, will enable local authorities across England to take data-driven decisions on premises licences, particularly areas identified as vulnerable to gambling-related harms. It will allow authorities to take account of a range of factors, including deprivation, when making licensing decisions. This will empower local authorities to better shape their streets and neighbourhoods.