Analysing the effect of betting shops on crime in England

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between the clustering of betting shops and crime in England using both spatial and multilevel modelling approaches. Spatial analysis revealed significant clustering of betting shops and crime across all crime types. Results from the multilevel models revealed statistically significant relationships between the number of betting shops and all the crime categories, with the strongest relationships observed with theft and disorder offences. These relationships were observed after controlling for socio-demographic and land-use predictors of crime. To reduce the effect of betting shops on crime, efforts should focus on place management strategies.