High-street slot machines reap record takings as councils call for power to curb spread

Local authorities want government to make it easier to stop flurry of adult gaming centres' targeting poorer areas

High-street slot machines are reaping record takings as operators expand apace on Britain's high streets, reigniting calls for the government to give councils more power to curb their spread.

Overall, betting and gaming revenues - excluding the National Lottery - reached 11.5bn in the year to March 2024, a 3.5% annual increase and the highest figure on record, according to statistics from the Gambling Commission that corrected previous figures.