Knowsley Council is landlord for a fifth of all the borough’s betting shops.
Knowsley has among the highest levels of gambling in the country and the council has taken a hardline stance on gambling in the borough in previous years.
Last year Knowsley Council’s leader, Cllr Graham Morgan, said gambling establishments were “not welcome” in the borough as plans for a Huyton gaming centre were rejected.
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However, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by the ECHO has revealed Knowsley Council is a significant landlord of bookmakers in the borough.
The FOI revealed the council leases out seven of the borough’s gambling establishments and a council report into gambling in the borough last year said there are 34 gambling establishments in total in Knowsley. This makes the council the landlord for one in five of the borough’s betting shops.
In Kirkby, the council owns nearly half of the 11 buildings housing betting shops. It also rents out two betting shops in Huyton.
According to the FOI, the council acquired four of the units, already leased to gambling establishments, as part of a wider property acquisition. The other three have had their leases renewed by the council in recent years “in line with the tenant’s statutory rights under landlord and tenant legislation.”
The FOI also revealed the council receives more than £180k a year in rental payments from gambling companies for making use of the buildings.
Knowsley Council was asked about its practise of leasing out units to gambling establishments and how this fitted in with the council’s wider stance on betting shops in the borough.
A council spokesperson said: “We are committed to protecting children, young people and vulnerable people from gambling harm and have made it clear that these establishments are not welcome in Knowsley.
“A number of these properties have been acquired through wider estates purchases which have resulted in us becoming the landlord and, in these instances, we have legal obligations under the Landlord and Tenant Act to these tenants.
“However, over time, we will do everything in our power to reduce the number of gambling establishments in the borough.”
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