Poker leaflet will help pubs to play their cards right
Press release
Date: 9 October
2009
The Gambling Commission (the Commission) and the British Beer
and Pub Association (BBPA) are backing a new leaflet designed to
help landlords keep poker legal in their pubs.
The Commission has produced the leaflet titled
Poker in pubs: advice
on allowing poker in alcohol licensed premises as part of a
campaign to educate the licensed alcohol trade about the law on
equal chance gaming.
Low stakes poker is permitted in pubs as long
as stakes are kept below £5 a head and £100 per premises per day. A
significant number of poker leagues operate legitimate low stakes
poker around the country but there is some evidence of restrictions
being breached.
The Commission has already written to poker
league operators reminding them of the legal position. The leaflet,
which has the backing of the BBPA, is designed to help landlords
ensure the limits on stakes and prizes are not breached on their
premises. It has also been highlighted to the large pub
operators.
The new leaflet has also received the support
of the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services
(LACORS). Local authorities may take action against holders of
alcohol premises licences who breach the limits. Licensees who
persist in offering illegal poker risk prosecution under the
Gambling Act 2005.
The Commission’s Director of Regulation, Nick
Tofiluk said:
“Any landlord or pub manager considering
offering a poker night should read this leaflet.
“The Commission has written to poker league
operators reminding them of the law and this leaflet will help
designated premises supervisors in pubs to stick to the rules.”
Rita King, Deputy Director of Pub &
Leisure at the British Beer and Pub Association:
“This leaflet gives welcome clarification of
the law around what has become a popular game in Britain’s
pubs. Poker in pubs is a low-stakes game played largely for
fun. When it comes to keeping prizes within the legal limits, it
will help pubs to have the rules set out clearly.”
Emily Scantlebury, Licensing and Gambling
Policy Officer at LACORS said:
"We welcome the Gambling Commission's
clarification of this issue as Local Authorities often receive
queries about poker tournaments in pubs."
Ends
Notes to editors
The Gambling Commission
- 1. The Gambling Commission (the Commission) regulates gambling
in the public interest.
- 2. The Commission’s objectives are: to prevent gambling from
being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or
disorder or being used to support crime; to ensure that gambling is
conducted in a fair and open way; and, to protect children and
other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by
gambling.
- 3. The Commission is responsible for licensing and regulating
all commercial 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.
- 4. There is a maximum value to both the amount that can be
staked and the prize that can be offered when playing poker in a
pub.
- 5. The maximum stake per player is £5 per game, and the
combined stakes for a premises should not exceed £100 per day.
- 6. The maximum prize is £100 per game. This maximum includes
money, payments in-kind, vouchers, goods, donated items, goody
bags, buy-ins at other poker tournaments and other items which have
a value.
- 7. A participation fee cannot be charged, including for example
by having entrants pay a compulsory charge for a meal. A breach of
the regulations could lead to action by a local licensing authority
or the Gambling Commission under the Gambling Act 2005.
Further information
- Further information is available from the Commission's website
at: www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk.
- You can also call John Travers on (0121) 230 6700, (07852)
124624 or email him via communications@gamblingcommission.gov.uk