Rejected petition Bet on Britain’s Future – Support the bookmaking industry

Over the past few months some commentators have questioned the place of betting shops in our town centres, in spite of their continued presence there since 1961.

The industry supports around 100,000 jobs, in particular offering flexible hours that attract a higher proportion of women and young people than other retail sectors. Bookmakers pay nearly £1 billion in tax each year.

Last year bookmakers contributed nearly £3 billion to the UK economy by generating more footfall on the high street and employing local tradespeople to refurbish shops.

It is a common myth that bookmakers are proliferating on the UK high street. Shop numbers have remained stable at about 8,500 for the past decade, down from 10,000 in the nineties and over 15,000 at the end of the 1960’s.

Please sign this petition to show your support for the bookmaking industry and the thousands of hardworking people it employs.