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Seizing an illegally sited machine

If you intend to seize a machine which you believe is an illegally sited gaming machine in order to prosecute the operator, some of the details you would need to verify are as follows:

  1. Does the machine play a game of chance or is the game presented as involving an element of chance? There may be more than one game available, take note of the types of game – roulette, poker, reel games etc.

  2. Record the maximum stake for the machine. The maximum stake figure may be different for each game offered, check them all and record details.

  3. Record the maximum prize available. The maximum prize figure may be different for each game offered, check them all and record details. Note some games may not give a maximum prize figure so you will need to calculate them from the odds given, for example, £10 on a single number in roulette at odds of 35 to 1 would mean the prize is £350.

  4. Does the machine have a category or sub-category label fitted? This should be visible but may be on a help screen, or similar, within the game.

  5. Does the machine have any problem gambling help information? This should be visible and must include a telephone number.

  6. Does the machine have a ‘no players under 18’ notice? This should be visible but need not be fitted to a category D machine.

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