William Hill’s Ralph Topping Calls for a Curb on Betting Shops

William Hill boss calls MPs to take action to cut-down of betting shops that are “clustering” in areas in the UK.

CEO of the bookmaker William Hill, Ralph Topping, has contacted MPs in the UK to curb the number betting shops from popping up in close proximity on British streets. Topping says that the “cluster” of bookmakers is a risk that will “alienate” communities.

The call to change UK gambling law regarding betting shops comes from Topping’s observation that people are objecting to the flurry of betting shops opening on their local high street.

William Hill gets vocal against the “clustering” of betting shops in UK’s high streets

Furthermore, Topping also wants the licensing authorities to gain the power to block more bookmakers from opening if they are a risk to causing local damage by means of “cumulative impact”.

“I’m against betting shop clustering on social grounds,” said Topping, who runs one of the largest land and online sportsbooks in the UK, “I can see for myself some pretty stark examples of this and I can see why people might raise localized objections.”

However, the Campaign for Fairer Gambling lobby group says that William Hill’s chief was just out there to fool people.

“Companies of the size of William Hill, Ladbrokes and Betfred would not be bothered by a new test,” said Adrian Parkinson from the lobby group. “It would only increase the value of their betting shops in an area as no one would be able to open in competition to them.”