Betting premises must primarily offer betting

Press release

Date: 14 January 2011

The Gambling Commission (the Commission) has today reminded licensed operators that betting premises must offer betting as the primary gambling activity in line with the Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) (Supplement 4).

The reminder comes following the recent rejection of two betting premises licence applications by local councils. In both cases, the Commission made representations with the aim of establishing principle and precedent with regard to the provision of the primary gambling activity. In more than 20 cases where the Commission has directly supported local councils, the operator has either withdrawn or the local council has decided not to grant the application.

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

“These cases are a reminder to licensed betting operators that betting must be the primary gambling activity on their betting premises.

“Those seeking to operate betting premises where betting appears not to be the primary gambling activity can expect to face difficulties in being granted a premises licence and are likely to attract further regulatory attention from the Gambling Commission.”

The Commission is closely monitoring a number of operators who appear to be offering gaming machines as the primary gambling activity on their betting premises. As a result of compliance work it is reviewing the operations of some licence holders.

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. See the Terms & Conditions section of our website for information on legal advice.
  4. 4. The two recent premises licence applications were heard at South Rochford District Council on 29 October 2010 and Thurrock Council on 7 December 2010.
  5. 5. The Commission’s Guidance to licensing authorities - May 2009 and Licence conditions and codes of practice - consolidated December 2011 can be downloaded from www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk. 

Further information

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