Hartlepool councillors praise authority's '˜no casino' gambling policy

Councillors have praised the area's '˜no casino' stance after a new gambling policy for Hartlepool was rubber stamped.

Hartlepool Borough Council’s finance and policy committee gave final approval for the new gambling policy for the area passed by the licensing committee earlier this year.

The updated laws, produced every three years by the local authority as part of The Gambling Act 2005, contained ‘no significant alterations’.

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The new statement of licensing principles for gambling once again contains a ‘no casino’ clause for Hartlepool.

Casinos can only be developed in areas that have been pre-approved by the Gambling Commission nationally and Hartlepool is not one of those areas.

However members of the licensing committee said it was important the ruling was included to make a statement in case any regulations change.

Councillors on the finance and policy committee endorsed the principles proposed including the ‘no casino’ policy.

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Coun Ann Marshall said: “I’m pleased the licensing committee has come forward and said strictly we have a no casino policy.

“In this day and age when people can access gambling so easily on smart phones I am pleased we have got this in place to help stop people becoming addicted.”

The final statement of gambling principles for the area will now be published before January 2019.

Nic Marko , Local Democracy Reporting Service