Man charged with illegal supply of gaming machines

Press release

Date: 27 August 2010

The Gambling Commission and Lancashire Police have carried out a joint operation in the South Ribble and Preston city areas with the support of HM Revenue & Customs and local authorities, looking into the suspected illegal supply of gaming machines. 

As a result, a 42 year old man from Preston was arrested yesterday and charged with three counts of illegally supplying gaming machines to licensed premises in central Lancashire, and four counts of fraud. He is due to appear before Preston Magistrates’ Court on 13 September.

Under the Gambling Act 2005, anyone engaged in the supply, installation and maintenance of gaming machines must be properly licensed by the Gambling Commission.

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 can contact the Commission in confidence on 0121 230 6655. A register of licensed machine suppliers is updated daily and published on the Commission's website.

Ends

Notes to editors

The Gambling Commission

  1. 1. The Gambling Commission (the Commission) regulates gambling in the public interest alongside its co-regulators local licensing authorities. 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 and local licensing authorities are 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. Full details of operating licence requirements can be found in the gaming machines section of our website.

Further information

  1. You can call John Travers on (0121) 230 6700, (07852) 124624 or email him via communications@gamblingcommission.gov.uk.