The presence of land-based gambling outlets (e.g., betting shops) in certain communities could contribute to higher crime rates. In this study, the researchers looked at the relationship between land-based gambling outlets and crime events in England and Wales. They used data from sources like the United Kingdom Police and United Kingdom Census collected between 2011 and 2017. The researchers looked at how the density of land-based gambling outlets per 100 square metres was related to crime rates over a 3-year period from 2015 to 2017. They also explored the influence of the presence of other types of businesses (e.g., retailers) and social deprivation (i.e., neighbourhood lacking resources and opportunities).
A higher density of land-based gambling outlets was related to an increase in all types of crime, including anti-social, violent, and theft crimes. This was more pronounced in areas with high social deprivation, but only for burglaries and theft. A higher number of small business owners in a neighbourhood protected against the effects of high gambling outlet density on crime. These findings can inform policies that aim to control and reduce crime in neighbourhoods with land-based gambling outlets. Possible protective measures include monitoring the density of gambling outlets and supporting small businesses.
