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People and premises applying for gambling licences

Request

I would like to request the data of the number of people and premises applying for gambling licences each January to December from the 10-year period starting from 1 January 2013- 1 January 2023. I am doing a student piece about the amount of people gambling in the run up to Christmas each year and whether the numbers increase.

Ultimately, I would like figures for the amount of people actively gambling for each month in this time period so I can analyse any trends, particularly relating to the Christmas period. I am unsure if this is information you possess, in which case would you be able to offer some advice on how it would be best to accurately word my request if this is unclear.

Please provide the information in the form of an Excel spreadsheet/similar data table.

Response

Thank you for your request which has been processed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

In your email you have requested the number of people and premises applying for gambling licences each January to December from the 10-year period starting from 1 January 2013 - 1 January 2023.

The below table contains the number of people and premises applying for gambling licences over the 10-year period requested.

Number of people and premises applying for gambling licenses between 1 January 2013 to 1 January 2023
Date Operating licenses - New application Personal licenses - New application Grand total
April 2013 44 202 246
April 2014 28 192 220
April 2015 36 235 271
April 2016 49 205 254
April 2017 18 184 202
April 2018 33 219 252
April 2019 32 154 186
April 2020 13 21 34
April 2021 35 100 135
April 2022 13 110 123
August 2013 26 181 207
August 2014 99 200 299
August 2015 20 168 188
August 2016 50 193 243
August 2017 25 192 217
August 2018 24 147 171
August 2019 43 231 274
August 2020 25 80 105
August 2021 17 78 95
August 2022 29 163 192
December 2013 17 95 112
December 2014 35 191 226
December 2015 22 187 209
December 2016 38 202 240
December 2017 36 158 194
December 2018 29 78 107
December 2019 22 137 159
December 2020 21 38 59
December 2021 13 105 118
December 2022 14 84 98
February 2013 30 201 231
February 2014 41 153 194
February 2015 75 214 289
February 2016 44 297 341
February 2017 52 235 287
February 2018 24 227 251
February 2019 24 134 158
February 2020 53 215 268
February 2021 25 49 74
February 2022 21 188 209
January 2013 46 113 159
January 2014 31 137 168
January 2015 64 205 269
January 2016 43 177 220
January 2017 17 190 207
January 2018 33 242 275
January 2019 37 145 182
January 2020 32 168 200
January 2021 25 33 58
January 2022 11 86 97
July 2013 34 202 236
July 2014 49 226 275
July 2015 48 247 295
July 2016 19 176 195
July 2017 32 171 203
July 2018 24 155 179
July 2019 47 188 235
July 2020 12 62 74
July 2021 12 163 175
July 2022 20 185 205
June 2013 29 120 149
June 2014 46 189 235
June 2015 29 280 309
June 2016 40 196 236
June 2017 42 180 222
June 2018 28 166 194
June 2019 28 171 199
June 2020 25 34 59
June 2021 25 119 144
June 2022 16 136 152
March 2013 30 202 232
March 2014 41 180 221
March 2015 40 204 244
March 2016 41 227 268
March 2017 75 270 345
March 2018 39 245 284
March 2019 33 158 191
March 2020 35 127 162
March 2021 42 59 101
March 2022 15 233 248
May 2013 19 217 236
May 2014 41 186 227
May 2015 35 216 251
May 2016 40 214 254
May 2017 49 197 246
May 2018 29 212 241
May 2019 39 205 244
May 2020 26 38 64
May 2021 32 121 153
May 2022 16 162 178
November 2013 31 189 220
November 2014 28 202 230
November 2015 48 251 299
November 2016 36 237 273
November 2017 27 262 289
November 2018 24 197 221
November 2019 26 258 284
November 2020 30 47 77
November 2021 12 203 215
November 2022 26 175 201
October 2013 29 166 195
October 2014 70 281 351
October 2015 21 258 279
October 2016 21 209 230
October 2017 37 219 256
October 2018 31 247 278
October 2019 27 276 303
October 2020 32 68 100
October 2021 31 124 155
October 2022 5 187 192
September 2013 26 168 194
September 2014 412 427 839
September 2015 40 241 281
September 2016 28 200 228
September 2017 41 130 171
September 2018 20 218 238
September 2019 23 241 264
September 2020 18 104 122
September 2021 17 122 139
September 2022 20 171 191
Grand total 4193 21056 25249

Further to this, you have requested figures for the amount of people actively gambling for each month in this time period.

I can confirm that participation data, at the level of breakdown you have requested is not held by the Gambling Commission.

Review of the decision

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your Freedom of Information request you are entitled to an internal review of our decision. You should write to FOI Team, Gambling Commission, 4th floor, Victoria Square House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B2 4BP or by reply to this email.

Please note, internal review requests should be made within 40 working days of the initial response. Requests made outside this timeframe will not be processed.

If you are not content with the outcome of our review, you may then apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have already exhausted the review procedure provided by the Gambling Commission.

The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office (opens in a new tab), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Information Management Team
Gambling Commission
Victoria Square House
Victoria Square
Birmingham B2 4BP

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