Gambling sectors

Do I need a licence - arcades?


 

There are three types of licence that arcade owners may need to apply for:

Your business may need all three kinds.

The Gambling Commission issues operating licences and personal licences; premises licences are issued by local licensing authorities.

Do I need an operating licence?

If you are running an arcade, either an Adult Gaming Centre or a Family Entertainment Centre, which makes category C and above gaming machines available for people to play, you do need an operating licence from us. Find out which type of operating licence you need, and how to apply.

You do need a permit from your local licensing authority if you want to make category D gaming machines or bingo prize gaming machines available to play in your arcade.

You do not need an operating licence from us if you have machines that do not offer a prize, or the prize is worth the same or less than the money paid to play the machine.

Do I need a personal management licence?

If you do need an operating licence, you may also need a personal management licence (PML) unless you qualify as a small-scale operator.

Anyone who is responsible for any of these areas of your organisation will need to apply for a PML:

  • Overall strategy and delivery of gambling operations.
  • Financial planning, control and budgeting.
  • Marketing and commercial development.
  • Regulatory compliance.
  • Gambling related IT provision and security.
  • Management of the licensed activity for a particular area in Great Britain where you have five or more sets of premises for which you hold a premises licence.

Individuals who perform more than one of these management functions at the same time only need to hold one PML. Apply for a personal management licence.

Do I need a premises licence?

Your local licensing authority will be able to tell you whether you need a premises licence or a permit.

You will need to apply to your local licensing authority for a premises licence for each arcade you run.

 Page last reviewed: January 2012