Licensing Authority Bulletin September 2020

News

Licensing authority returns portal open until 30 October 2020

Many thanks to the 75 LAs that have already submitted their 2019 to 2020 annual return. The deadline for submission is 30 October 2020. We appreciate that Local Authorities are still heavily impacted by the fight against Covid-19 and many of you may still be working from home, however we would be grateful for as much data as you are able to provide within the timescales.

Please remember that the passcode will only work with a registered user email address. The passcode is specific to your LA not to an individual so multiple email addresses can be registered per LA, but we would encourage you to register your licensing@ email address, if you have not already done so.

Please contact lareturns@gamblingcommisison.gov.uk if you have not received any correspondence about the annual returns.

Licensing Authorities requests for help and support

We have revised the communication process for LAs requesting help and support for gambling related issues.

The current practice of contacting your designated Compliance Managers directly will cease. As from 1 October 2020, all gambling related requests for help and support must be emailed to the Gambling Commission Compliance Mailbox: complianceteamCB@gamblingcommission.gov.uk.

Your requests will be forwarded to designated compliance staff who will respond and deal with your enquiry in a timely manner.

Citizens Advice gambling support service

The Citizens Advice (opens in new tab) gambling support service has commenced a new gambling-related podcast called 'Beyond The Bet'. The first episode (opens in new tab) takes a closer look at what gambling entails, public health work being conducted regionally in the North-West, and the story of one of our Project Workers who has lived experience. In future episodes, Citizens Advice (opens in new tab) will draw upon key talking points, including short term and long term treatment, inside the mind of a compulsive gambler, key bodies involved in the gambling landscape, gaming vs gambling with a focus of hearing from those who have been harmed by gambling.

Citizens Advice (opens in new tab) and Citizens Advice Scotland (opens in new tab) have been commissioned by GambleAware (opens in new tab) to deliver the gambling support service across England, Wales and Scotland. The aim of the project is to take a public health and education approach to training and building capacity amongst frontline workers within the Citizens Advice (opens in new tab) network and beyond, to overcome the stigma attached to gambling harm and help individuals to access appropriate support. The team on is on Twitter (opens in new tab) via the handle @BeyondTheBetPod or alternatively get in touch via gamblingsupport@citizensadvice.org.uk

GamCare free training about women and problem gambling

GamCare (opens in new tab) is a leading provider of support and treatment for all those impacted by problem gambling has been funded by the Tampon Tax to provide free training to professionals about the impact of problem gambling on women. Currently only 1% of women affected by problem gambling access help.

After the training session professionals should feel more confident in identifying problem gambling, asking the question and referring into support networks. Training is currently provided remotely and can be offered to any professional who works on the frontline.

Please contact Zoe Snelgrove – zoe.snelgrove@gamcare.org.uk if you are interested in receiving this free training.

National Strategy first year implementation update

As advised over the summer, we published an overview of the implementation actions delivered during the first year of the three year National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms and highlights emerging work for this second year of the Strategy. If you are interested in signing up to the latest developments on the Strategy please email communications@gamblingcommission.gov.uk.

Further controls on online gambling adverts

The Betting and Gaming Council (opens in new tab) has published its Sixth Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising (PDF) (opens in new tab) which comes into force on 1 October 2020. It includes new measures to further prevent under 18s from seeing gambling adverts online and ensuring that the adverts must include safer gambling messages.

LA Bulletin September 2020 - Advice and guidance updates

E-learning modules - Pubs and the Gambling Act 2005

We announced last month that the Commission had worked with the Institute of Licensing to produce a new e-learning module about Pubs and the Gambling Act 2005 (opens in new tab) to add to the existing suite of gambling modules.

The new module is designed to help LAs and police improve their understanding of what to consider when undertaking compliance checks on the various forms of gambling permitted in pubs such as gaming machines, exempt gaming (bingo and poker) and lotteries.

Other gambling e-learning modules are already available:

three gaming machines modules which cover the various types of gaming machines, the physical components and signage requirements and how to deal with non-compliant machines
powers to enter inspect gambling premises
introduction to inspecting a betting premises.

All modules can be accessed via the IOL website (opens in new tab), and they are CPD accredited. Log in to the e-learning tab if you have an existing account, or request a log in via membership@instituteoflicensing.org to get started, if you are not an IOL member.

Information for operators reopening land based gambling premises

We continue to update our FAQs aimed at helping operators manage compliance with Government Covid-19 guidance on reopening with continued compliance with the licence conditions and codes of practice (LCCP).

LA Bulletin - LLEP Assessment templates

To help you meet LA regulatory obligations under the Gambling Act 2005 (opens in new tab) we worked with Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Licensing Forum and LLEP to produce a range of resources (opens in new tab) including a suite of assessment templates, information for premises and assessment outcome letters. Please share the findings of your visits to the Commission via complianceteamCB@gamblingcommission.gov.uk so that we can continue to build a broad picture of premises’ compliance.

LA Bulletin - Quick guides and template letters

Some quick guides are designed to give to operators when undertaking visits, others provide an accessible ‘how to’ for licensing staff:

LA Bulletin - Gambling Act statutory notices and forms

It is a statutory requirement that applicants use the correct forms to give proper notice of applications, variations etc to all responsible authorities, including the Gambling Commission.

We host all the statutory notices and application forms as they are no longer available on the DCMS (opens in new tab) website.

LA Bulletin - Find operating licence holders and premises licence register

In our public register, we publish the names of all companies and individuals who hold, or have applied for, operating licences in Great Britain along with the names of companies or individuals whose licences have lapsed, been revoked, forfeited, expired, suspended or surrendered in the last 6 months.

LAs must check the operator licence quoted on premises applications with the register before granting a premises licence. An application for premises licence may only be made by persons who have an operating licence which allows them to carry out the proposed activity for example a bingo operating licence for a bingo premises or have applied for an operating licence (although the premises licence cannot be determined until an operating licence has been issued).

Premises licence register

The information on our publicly available premises register is based on the statutory notifications received from LAs regarding grants, variations, revocations, lapses etc, and is updated monthly. LAs are encouraged to send all necessary correspondence to info@gamblingcommission.gov.uk. Where email notification has been made it is not necessary to follow up by post.

In relation to gaming machines, we only require notification of grant and or rejection of Club Machines Permits and Gaming Machine Permits. There is no requirement to advise us when an alcohol licence holder submits their notification for an automatic entitlement to two gaming machines. However, LAs must keep a record of how many automatic entitlement notifications it receives each year, as that information is requested in the annual LA returns.

Last updated: 30 November 2023

Show updates to this content

Following an audit the 'Sixth Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising' link has been updated.

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