NORTH Ayrshire Council will be given powers to tackle problem gambling after a Holyrood committee backed changes to planning rules.
Under new rules the Council, together with other councils in Scotland, will be able to block any change in premises to a betting shop, potentially avoiding the clustering of betting shops.
SNP MSP Stuart McMillan has led the initiative against the clustering of betting shops and fixed-odds betting terminals, which are connected to problem gambling and personal debt.
Mr McMillan said: It is great news that local authorities will have the power to stop the clustering of betting shops in our communities, a practice which has disproportionately affected many of our most deprived commun…
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