Wiltshire Council has announced that this year it will undertake a full inspection programme of the 34 venues across the county licensed to offer gambling, betting and bingo.

The authority confirmed during a recent meeting that its public protection licensing team would complete the scheduled inspections before March 2026.

“After over three years since the last planned inspections, the public protection licensing teams are set to focus on these venues in the next financial year,” reported the Gazette and Herald. “Members of the licensing committee were provided with this update at a meeting in Trowbridge County Hall on Monday, 17 March.”

The decision comes less than a year after the council opened a public consultation on its draft gambling policy, with cabinet member for the environment Dominic Muns saying at the time that licensed premises “play a prominent and important part in our local communities.”

“We are responsible as the local authority for the licensing of all premises used for all forms of gambling, with the exception of the National Lottery and online gambling.”

“Licensed premises play a prominent and important part in our local communities, and we would welcome the views of our residents, or indeed anyone who has an interest in licensing and the promotion of the licensing objectives, so that we can formalise our next policy.”