Too many betting shops on the high street

haphash · 30/10/13 - 00:48

Has anybody else noticed how many betting shops there are now in the average high street? I counted 5 in quite a small area at my local shops yesterday. Does this mean that more people are gambling now? It is quite worrying.

Sadly our local high street now seems to consist mainly of betting shops, charity shops, cheap/poundland type places along with a few Polish food shops. Its not very tempting.

Cissy Fairfax · 30/10/13 - 00:51

You get a nice crowd in a bookies. Usually a free parking space and a toilet to use too, all for a line on the football for a quid.

haphash · 30/10/13 - 00:53

Cissy Fairfax wrote: »

You get a nice crowd in a bookies. Usually a free parking space and a toilet to use too, all for a line on the football for a quid.

I've never been in one. I understand the toilet might be useful but there's no free parking anywhere around where I live.

Caltonfan · 30/10/13 - 00:56

it doesnt mean more people are gambling, just that no other companies want to take up the empty units

HarrisonMarks · 30/10/13 - 00:58

Every time a shop closes round here, I say 'I bet that will reopen as a bookies'. Bastards never pay up though.

[Deleted User] · 30/10/13 - 01:00

Unless you are Peter Barlow, bookies find it extremely hard to lose money in their line of business.

NX-74205 · 30/10/13 - 01:00

haphash wrote: »

I've never been in one.

Why are you werritin' if you don't use 'em?

Creamtea · 30/10/13 - 01:03

Vernon Bennett wrote: »

Unless you are Peter Barlow, bookies find it extremely hard to lose money in their line of business.

He should've moved to Hackney! He'd be doing a roaring trade!

Jol44 · 30/10/13 - 01:04

Good.

I don't see the problem.

Armi · 30/10/13 - 01:04

They're like any other shop. Either you want the product or you don't. If you want it you go in, if you don't want it you don't go in.

scruffpot · 30/10/13 - 01:10

For the Chinese?

My friend works in one (and has worked in a few in the city) he said he has more Chinese people visiting the shop then locals and more and more are betting.

haphash · 30/10/13 - 01:11

NX-74205 wrote: »

Why are you werritin' if you don't use 'em?

werritin

I don't use them but the high prevalence of them must mean that a lot of people do bet all the time.

I used to know somebody with a gambling addiction so am not predisposed to think of them as 'harmless'. I'm not saying they should be stopped or anything like that just that there must be more people gambling now.

Jason · 30/10/13 - 01:19

I do think gambling has been made to seem overly glamourous and 'easy' by the proliferation of the various bingo adverts. How many people would see the "£25 FREE !!!" adverts and think that's all you need to do ?

Obviously I'm not looking to go all Father Ted and say "Down with this sort of thing", but I think more consideration needs to be given to pointing out that you've got just as much chance of losing money as you have of winning.

kippeh · 30/10/13 - 01:22

Pound shops, pawn shops and bookies - do a roaring trade during any economic downturn.

Green Thing · 30/10/13 - 01:29

My Brain doesn't seem to grasp odds and roulette etc... maybe it's a good thing

gulliverfoyle · 30/10/13 - 01:30

so you the moral police

its legal

Green Thing · 30/10/13 - 01:35

Funny how you only see poor people using them

haphash · 30/10/13 - 01:37

gulliverfoyle wrote: »

so you the moral police

its legal

I was making an observation, not calling for them to be banned!

There seem to be a lot more now than there used to be.

Mustabuster · 30/10/13 - 01:40

I see it as a sign that other businesses aren't willing to move in so the 2nd tier shops like bookies, charity shops, pound-shops etc get offered places. It's not always a sign that people are gambling more but more another symptom of hard times.

Jason · 30/10/13 - 01:41

Green Thing wrote: »

Funny how you only see poor people using them

Not always. Anyone can become addicted to gambling.

Green Thing · 30/10/13 - 01:42

JasonWatkins wrote: »

Not always. Anyone can become addicted to gambling.

Anyone can be addicted to anything

Flanno · 30/10/13 - 01:53

From where I live, there is only one betting shop on the main street.

But there are more than one pub on the same street - 5 actually. :eek:

Jason · 30/10/13 - 02:03

Green Thing wrote: »

Anyone can be addicted to anything

Indeed, so I don't really think it's fair to say only "poor" people use bookies.

HaloJoe · 30/10/13 - 02:12

Green Thing wrote: »

Funny how you only see poor people using them

Depends on the location. Generally you see all walks of life in a bookmakers.

FusionFury · 30/10/13 - 02:20

Gambling is part of British culture. It's ok in moderation and gives some sad lonely people enjoyment.

rob_bangor · 30/10/13 - 15:51

Vernon Bennett wrote: »

Unless you are Peter Barlow, bookies find it extremely hard to lose money in their line of business.

I'm not surprised he lost money. He only opened when he felt like it, and when you did put a bet on, chances were you got thrown out before the race cos of some crisis or other.

Hey there!

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Too many betting shops on the high street

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