Betting shops are keeping community spirit alive this Christmas

Walk into a betting shop this Christmas and you will find something Britain is in danger of losing. Laughter, conversation, familiar faces and a real sense of community. At a time when shared spaces are disappearing, bookmakers are keeping human connection alive.

Far from the outdated stereotypes, today’s bookmakers are lively community hubs. They are places where regulars greet each other by name and where staff know their customers’ stories. During the festive season especially, betting shops take on a special atmosphere filled with excitement, companionship and familiar routine that many people look forward to each year.

People visit for all sorts of reasons. Some pop in to watch the Boxing Day racing, others meet friends before heading out, while some simply enjoy the buzz that comes from being surrounded by sport and familiar faces. Betting shops offer something simple but increasingly rare: a place where anyone can walk in, feel welcome and be part of what is happening.

Most customers come in for the sport, the banter or a flutter. Yet there is another side to the story. For some, Christmas can be a difficult and lonely time. For those with fewer social networks, or whose families are far away, a friendly word from a member of staff or a quick chat with fellow regulars can make a genuine difference. Bookmakers do not replace families or friendships, but they do offer connection, warmth and routine to those who need it, without judgement and without fuss.

Our shop teams see this every year, whether it is the regular who brings chocolates for the staff on Christmas Eve, the group of friends who enjoy their annual festive bet, or the older customer who prefers watching the darts with familiar faces rather than sitting at home alone. These moments are not unusual and they are part of everyday life in betting shops across the country.

Yet just as the need for shared spaces grows, these venues are coming under increasing pressure. There are currently around 5,800 betting shops across the UK, supporting 42,000 jobs and contributing £140 million a year to horse racing. The sector also pays £1 billion in direct tax to the Treasury and another £60 million in business rates to local councils. That is money which goes directly into public services and into supporting local economies.

Crucially, betting shops also help sustain the wider high street. A study by ESA Retail found that 89% of betting shop customers combine their visit to the bookies with trips to other local businesses, making betting shops a vital driver of footfall and growth on hard-pressed high streets. Despite this contribution, Britain has still lost nearly 30 per cent of its betting shops since 2019. More than 2,400 have closed, taking with them thousands of jobs, millions in revenue for public services and something far harder to measure: the sense of community they help to sustain. With new tax rises pushing British bookmakers towards some of the highest rates in the world, even more shops now face uncertain futures.

Politicians often talk about loneliness, community and protecting local high streets. But what they rarely acknowledge is that, for our customers, betting shops already deliver these benefits every day. They provide warm and safe spaces staffed by highly trained teams who look out for their customers with genuine care.

This Christmas, we should recognise what community truly looks like in 2025 and how it often flourishes in places that are too easily overlooked.

If we want vibrant high streets and places where people can gather, then we must think carefully before placing more pressure on the businesses that help keep these neighbourhoods alive.

When a bookmaker closes, the loss is not only economic but social. A warm and welcoming room where people shared laughs, stories and sporting moments simply disappears, leaving a gap in the heart of a community. Betting shops are not just places to place a bet; they are places to belong, and that matters now more than ever.

Greg Knight is CEO of Jenningsbet.