Illegal machine supplier found guilty

Press release

Date: 17 July 2009

Coinfactory Ltd, a gaming machine supplier based in Oldham has been found guilty of illegally supplying gaming machines under the Gambling Act 2005 (the Act) following a Gambling Commission (the Commission) investigation.

Mr Carr, Director of Coinfactory Ltd, pleaded guilty at Oldham Magistrates Court to supplying gaming machines to a total of 19 premises without an operating licence from the Commission.  Coinfactory Ltd was fined £2,000 with costs of £2,500 awarded to the Commission.  

The Commission’s investigation found that Coinfactory Ltd, who also trade as Image Time Ltd, had been supplying category B fixed odds betting terminals to licensed betting offices and category B3A gaming machines to private members clubs in the north of England. Coinfactory Ltd did not have the relevant operating licence issued by the Commission to supply these machines contrary to section 243 of the Act.

As part of the investigation 26 gaming machines were seized from betting premises and private members clubs in Manchester and Yorkshire in multi-agency operations involving the police and local authorities.

Following the case the Commission’s Director of Regulation, Nick Tofiluk, said:

“This case demonstrates our determination to clamp down on those who persist in illegally supplying gaming machines at the expense of the legitimate industry and the public at large. 

“This investigation began with a successful multi-agency operation and we will continue to work with our partners to keep gambling fair and safe for all.”

Operators of businesses who have any doubt about the legality of where a gaming machine is sited, or have suspicions about gaming machines that have been offered to them should contact the Commission on 0121 230 6666. A register of machine suppliers licensed by the Commission is published on the Gambling Commission’s website at www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/ .

Ends

Notes to editors

The Gambling Commission

  1. 1. The Gambling Commission (the Commission) regulates gambling in the public interest. It does so by keeping crime out of gambling, by ensuring that gambling is conducted fairly and openly, and by protecting children and vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling. The Commission also provides independent advice to government on gambling in Britain.
  2. 2. The Commission is responsible for licensing and regulating all gambling in Great Britain other than the National Lottery and spread betting, which are the responsibility of the National Lottery Commission and the Financial Services Authority (FSA) respectively.
  3. 3. British-based manufacturers and suppliers of gaming machines must be licensed with the Commission. Betting Shops must have both an operating licence from the Commission and a premises licence from their local licensing authority. 
  4. 4. Full details of the Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice can be found at: www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk
  5. 5. This work is part of a wider programme of compliance and enforcement activity across Great Britain. The Commission is based in Birmingham but has a nationwide compliance team of over 50 officers. Over the past year a number of investigations of suspected illegal machine supply have been pursued and the Commission announced a further drive to remove illegal suppliers last September.
  6. 6. The betting operators and private members clubs involved were not central to the investigation. All were small independent bookmakers who were licensed with the Commission and fully co-operated with the Commission’s investigations.
  7. 7. Read original press release about the machine seizures here: www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk
  8. 8. Operators who supply or provide gaming machines for use must have a licence from the Gambling Commission, in line with the 2005 Act. Licensed operators conform to strict technical and social responsibility requirements in order to keep gambling fair and safe. 
  9. 9. Operators who supply or maintain gaming machines without a licence risk prosecution. 
  10. 10. Operators who are licensed by the Commission but supply machines to premises which do not hold the appropriate authorisations to make gaming machines available for use risk having their licence reviewed. 

Further information

  1. Further information is available from the Commission's website at:  www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk.
  2. You can also call John Travers on (0121) 230 6700, (07852) 124624 or email him via j.travers@gamblingcommission.gov.uk  .