BACK STREET TO SIDE STREET TO HIGH STREET - THE CHANGING GEOGRAPHY OFBETTING SHOPS

Gambling has a long history but betting shops, which account for 50 pe r cent of the UK's annual gambling turnover of 12 billion Pound, are a product of the 1960 Betting and Gambling Act. The early betting shops opened in the 1960s were usually in small dingy premises often hidden away in side streets. During the past 30 years the environment and th e facilities of betting shops have been dramatically improved and many new shops have been opened in high street locations. These changes re flect the influence and changing character of the major betting shop c ompanies, the introduction of more liberal government legislation, mor e relaxed town planning policies and changes in the leisure environmen t.