11:16am Wednesday 9th January 2013
By Daniel Binns
Hundreds of millions of pounds was spent on gambling in Waltham Forest last year, new figures have revealed.
Research by the Campaign for Fairer Gambling estimates that £151million was spent in the parliamentary constituency of Walthamstow alone.
Its report also said £118million was gambled in Leyton and Wanstead, with £108million paid out by punters in Chingford and Woodford Green.
The research claims there are 28 licensed betting shops in Walthamstow and 102 'fixed odds' betting machines.
It said there are 22 bookmakers and 80 machines in Leyton and Wanstead, with 20 shops and 73 machines in Chingford and Woodford Green.
However the figures are far less than some other areas of London such as Bethnal Green and Bow, where £243million was gambled last year.
Adrian Parkinson, of the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, said the figures showed that the proliferation of betting machines needed to be better limited.
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