Concerns about ‘the rising number’ of betting shops in Slough have been raised by a councillor who wants more to be done to protect people from addiction.

Slough Borough councillor Dhruv Tomar – who represents Slough Central ward – wants the council to be ‘more proactive’ in enforcing gambling rules. He told the Observer: “If you speak to the wider community in Slough, everyone knows someone who’s had a bad experience with gambling.”

He added: “I want the council to recognise this is happening.”

Councillor Tomar is calling on Slough Borough Council to review its policies for issuing betting shop licences and to send its officers to carry out ‘regular compliance visits’ to premises.

READ MORE: Slough high street 'makes me cringe' says Conservative councillor

His call to the council highlights ‘the rising number of gambling establishments in the town’. Councillor Tomar – a postman who has worked in Slough and Windsor – pointed out that there are many more betting shops in Slough than in its more affluent neighbour.

While there are four bookmakers in the whole of Windsor, there are as many as 18 in Slough – five of them on Slough High Street alone.

Ladbrokes and Betfred both have two branches on the High Street, with a fifth provided by PaddyPower.

Councillor Tomar said he doesn’t want to make it harder for betting shops to open in Slough. But he does want council licensing officers to ‘remind’ them of their responsibilities to carry out ID checks and ‘look out for customers spending too much time on the machines’.

He said: “If I walked into Wetherspoon’s at 11 o clock in the morning and asked for two bottles of red to myself I might get away with that one day. If I did it again the next day the bartender might ask if I’m okay. But in a betting shop there’s no intervention.

“I’m not anti-gambling, but I’m anti-gambling harm. For these companies, most of their profits come from a small amount of people losing large amounts of money.”

Councillor Tomar also wants the council to host gambling advice from its Observatory House headquarters on Windsor Road. He suggested this could be supported by the GamCare charity and be a place where people can get support discretely.

He said: “There’s no Gamblers’ Anonymous in Slough despite how many bookies there are on the high street.

“Any addiction is a stigma – but gambling is like a hidden addiction. You can spend a month’s wages on gambling and no one will find out.”

He added: “This is something this town needs. I want the council to provide somewhere people can talk about their experience with gambling harm.”

Councillor Tomar’s proposals are set to be debated at a meeting of Slough Borough Council on Thursday, September 26.