The effectiveness of gambling legislation has been attacked by a councillor after the licensing board allowed Tesco staff to install two slot machines in their canteen.
Councillor Lesley Brennan bemoaned the fact that restricted legal grounds made it impossible for the council’s licensing board to block the move.
The supermarket’s staff social committee club sought the machines for the Tesco Extra store on Kingsway West, with a representative explaining the cash raised from employees playing the machines would boost charity fundraising efforts.
Councillor Brennan asked if the council could block the move, but was told the measures at their disposal were too limited.
“The grounds for objection relate to whether children have access to the machines and whether the applicant has had a previous gaming licence revoked,” she said.
“Obviously in this case none of these things apply as the venue is a supermarket staff canteen.”
She continued: “A big issue with problem gambling is access to gambling opportunities, and I am concerned about this aspect with Tesco. Will there be any regulation or control over employees’ use of the machines?
“When I asked about what protection there would be for people who have a problem with their gambling, the Tesco representative said this would be a human resources issue for the company.
“I don’t really think this is the point, but the case sums up the inadequacy of gambling legislation and how the hands of the council are tied.”
The licensing board endorsed the previous decision of the policy and resources committee in calling for legal changes to allow gambling to be more tightly controlled.
The council want power over the location and number of betting offices to be devolved back to local councils and to regulateand restrict advertising of gambling establishments and sites.
The Courier invited the Tesco Extra’s Kingsway West staff social club to give more detail on their plans for fruit machines in the staff canteen and respond to Councillor Brennan’s concerns, but were told no-one was available.
Their constitution submitted with their application said the committee’s role is to use revenue from the pool table and slot machines to organise staff events, through a social fund.
There is no reference to controls for slot machine use, although there is a paragraph stating that all members shall be treated with respect.