Casino applies for 24-hour Aberdeen gaming licence

mixed reaction on how round-the-clock rules might affect gambling addicts

By Emma Christie

Published:

Gamblers in Aberdeen could soon have access to a city-centre casino any time of day or night after it applied for a 24-hour gaming licence.

Gala Casino on Summer Street is currently open from mid-afternoon until 5am but now hopes to extend its opening hours.

Yesterday the move was attacked by the Church of Scotland which said it would put vulnerable people at risk.

Gambling addiction charities claimed it would make little difference to addicts.

Casinos across the UK can legally open until 6am, but businesses can apply to extend opening hours under 2005 legislation which paved the way for 24-hour gambling.

Last November Gala applied for a 21-hour licence with bosses claiming the longer hours would help them compete with bookies in the city. They also said it would help them attract workers in for a coffee and sandwich – and perhaps a flutter – in what were “very, very difficult times” for the gaming industry.

Members of Aberdeen City Licensing Board were unconvinced and voted 6-2 against the move.

Residents and businesses close to the casino have until January 13 to contact the council if they feel they would be affected by the change in licence.

Last night the Rev Ian Galloway, convener of the Kirk’s Church and Society Council, said the proposal, if approved, could be damaging for vulnerable people in society.

He said: “The Church is concerned that vulnerable people will be exposed to additional risk by these proposals.

“Those susceptible to over gambling will be more likely to do so when there is no closing time, especially in an environment when it is already difficult to judge the passage of time.”

He said he hoped local churches would get involved and “look closely” at the plans.

A spokesman for Gamblers Anonymous Scotland said extended opening hours would make no difference to addicts as they would be able to find ways of gambling whatever the law said.

But Dr Scott Wylie, lead consultant on addictions at The Priory in Glasgow said he believed increased availability of gambling could mean more people were likely to develop an addiction.