Section 19 certificate holders face August deadline for personal licence application

Press release

Date: 25 February 2009

The Gambling Commission is reminding employees in the casino and bingo industry who still hold certificates of approval, issued under section 19 of the Gaming Act 1968 (section 19 certificates), to apply for their new personal licence before the end of August 2009.

Section 19 certificates were issued to people working in specified roles within the casino and bingo industries. On 1 September 2007 the previous arrangements were replaced by the Gambling Act 2005 with existing

#section 19 certificate holders given two years to make their personal licence application to the Gambling Commission.

Any existing section 19 certificates will cease to have effect on 31 December 2009. Section 19 certificate holders who wish to continue working in the casino and bingo industry in 2010 must apply to the Gambling Commission by 31 August 2009 at the latest to ensure their personal licence application is determined by the end of the year.  

The Gambling Commission’s Director of Regulation, Nick Tofiluk said:

“The Gambling Commission has already issued more than 7,000 personal licences.

“Any casino or bingo worker still operating under the permissions granted prior to September 2007 under a section 19 Certificate will put their employment status at risk if they do not get their application to the Commission before the end of August.”

An application fee of £165 is currently payable for a personal functional licence. No annual renewal fee is required and, in contrast to the previous certificate, a licence is not tied to an employer. The licence is required by any individual performing any of the operational functions which would allow them to influence the outcome of gambling or any function relating to the receiving or paying of money in connection with gambling, for example, a croupier.

An application fee of £330 is currently payable for a personal management licence. No annual renewal fee is required and, in contrast to the previous certificate, a licence is not tied to an employer. The licence is required by any individual responsible for a key management function such as marketing and commercial development or regulatory compliance, for example, a casino or bingo manager.

For further information on the requirements and to download an application form please go to the Commission’s website. If you have any further questions then please contact the Commission via email on info@gamblingcommission.gov.uk or by calling us on (0121) 230 6666.

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.

Further information

Further information is available from the Commission’s website.

Press enquiries to John Travers on (0121) 230 6700 or communications@gamblingcommission.gov.uk