BETTING HOUSES. (Hansard, 11 July 1853)

The ATTORNEY GENERAL

said, he would now beg to move for leave to bring in a Bill for the suppression of betting houses, and in doing so he considered it was not necessary for him to make any lengthened statement upon the subject, as the evils which had arisen from the introduction of these establishments were perfectly notorious and acknowledged upon all hands. The difficulty, however, which arose in legislating upon this subject was to be found in the disinclination which was felt against interfering with that description of betting which had so long existed at Tattersall's and elsewhere in connexion with the great national sport of horse racing. But these establishments assumed a totally different aspect—a new form of betting was introduced, which had been productive of the greatest evils. The 88 course now was to open a house, and for the owner to hold himself forth as ready to bet with all comers, contrary to the usage which had prevailed at such places as Tattersall's, where individuals betted with each other, but no one there kept a gaming table, or, in other words, held a bag against all corners. The object then of this Bill was to suppress these houses, without interfering with that legitimate species of betting to which he had referred. It would prohibit the opening of houses, or shops, or booths, for the purpose of betting; and inasmuch as it appeared that the mischief of the existing vicious system seemed to arise from the advancing of money in the first instance with the expectation of receiving a larger sum on the completion of a certain event, it was proposed to prohibit the practice by distinct legislative enactment. The mischief arising from the existence of these betting shops was perfectly notorious. Servants, apprentices, and workmen, induced by the temptation of receiving a large sum for a small one, took their few shillings to these places, and the first effect of their losing was to tempt them to go on spending their money, in the hope of retrieving their losses, and for this purpose it not unfrequently happened that they were driven into robbing their masters and employers. There was not a prison or a house of correction in London which did not every day furnish abundant and conclusive testimony of the vast number of youths who were led into crime by the temptation of these establishments, of which there were from 100 to 150 in the metropolis alone, while there was a considerable number in the large towns of the provinces. He believed this Bill would have the effect of suppressing most of them, or, at all events, of preventing the spread of an evil which was admitted on all hands. It had been suggested that the more effectual course would be the licensing of these houses; but for his own part he believed that would be discreditable to the Government, and would only tend to increase the mischief instead of preventing it. He trusted and believed the Bill which he now sought to introduce, would have the desired effect, and he hoped the House would offer no objection to his bringing it in.