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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Good Friday opening for bookies | Good Friday opening for bookies |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of betting shops in England, Scotland and Wales are to open for the first time on a Good Friday. | Thousands of betting shops in England, Scotland and Wales are to open for the first time on a Good Friday. |
| The move follows last year's Gambling Act which allows bookies to trade every day except Christmas Day. | The move follows last year's Gambling Act which allows bookies to trade every day except Christmas Day. |
| At least 4,000 bookmakers' shops will open, including almost all branches of Ladbrokes and Coral, despite there being no British horse racing. | At least 4,000 bookmakers' shops will open, including almost all branches of Ladbrokes and Coral, despite there being no British horse racing. |
| Some Christian groups have expressed their disappointment and are asking people not to bet. | Some Christian groups have expressed their disappointment and are asking people not to bet. |
| Demand expected | Demand expected |
| A spokesman for the Methodist Church said they would prefer people to think about the day's religious significance rather than placing bets. | A spokesman for the Methodist Church said they would prefer people to think about the day's religious significance rather than placing bets. |
| Ladbrokes defended its decision to open, saying the new law only brought betting shops in to line with other retailers who can already open on Good Friday. | Ladbrokes defended its decision to open, saying the new law only brought betting shops in to line with other retailers who can already open on Good Friday. |
| class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYBookmaker's shops are legal in this country, therefore they should be allowed to open on any day they wantDerek, East Yorkshire class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4508&edition=${editionCode}">Send us your comments | |
| A Department for Culture, Media and Sport spokesman said there had been a wide-ranging consultation before the gambling laws were changed. | |
| The spokesman said: "During the lead-up and passage of the Gambling Bill through Parliament, consultations took place with a wide range of stakeholders, including industry associations, faith groups, trade unions and charities." | |
| Before the act came into force in September casinos and bingo halls were allowed to open on all public holidays except Christmas Day, but arcades and betting shops were not. | |
| Ladbrokes said it was expecting a heavy demand from customers. | |
| William Hill is opening one in 10 of its shops and said those staff working had volunteered to come in. | William Hill is opening one in 10 of its shops and said those staff working had volunteered to come in. |