Guidance

Guidance to licensing authorities

The Gambling Commission's guidance for licensing authorities.

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Published
1 April 2021

Last updated
14 September 2023 - Changes

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Contents

• Guidance to licensing authorities

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• Changes to the Guidance for Licensing Authorities
• Part 1: General guidance on the role and responsibilities of licensing authorities in gambling regulation
  • - Introduction
  • - Partnership working between the Commission and licensing authorities – shared regulation
  • - Co-ordination and contact
  • - Primary legislation
  • - Statutory aim to permit gambling
  • - The licensing objectives
  • - Codes of practice
  • - Licensing authority discretion (s.153 of the Act)
  • - Local risk assessments
  • - Licensing authority policy statement
  • - Limits on licensing authority discretion
  • - Other powers
• Part 2: The licensing framework
  • - Introduction
  • - Operating licences
  • - How operating licences are granted
  • - Operating licence conditions and codes
  • - Personal licences
  • - Premises licences
• Part 3: The Gambling Commission
  • - Introduction
  • - Main functions of the Commission
  • - Relationship between the Commission and licensing authorities
• Part 4: Licensing authorities
  • - Introduction
  • - Statutory framework
  • - Licensing authority decisions
• Part 5: Principles to be applied by licensing authorities
  • - Licensing objectives
  • - Section 153 principles
  • - Codes of practice
  • - Good practice in regulation
  • - Human Rights Act 1998
  • - Other considerations
• Part 6: Licensing authority policy statement
  • - Introduction
  • - Fundamental principles
  • - Form and content
  • - Other matters to be considered
  • - Local risk assessments
  • - Local area profile
  • - Declaration by licensing authority
  • - Consultation
  • - Reviewing and updating the policy statement
  • - Advertisement and publication
  • - Additional information to be made available
• Part 7: Premises licences
  • - Introduction
  • - Premises
  • - Access to premises
  • - Multiple activity premises – layout and access
  • - Applications
  • - Application for premises variation (s.187): ‘material change’
  • - Consideration of planning permission and building regulations
• Part 8: Responsible authorities and interested parties definitions
  • - Introduction
  • - Responsible authorities
  • - Interested parties
• Part 9: Premises licence conditions
  • - Introduction
  • - Conditions and authorisations by virtue of the Act
  • - Conditions attached through regulations made by the Secretary of State or Scottish Ministers – all premises
  • - Conditions that may not be attached to premises licences by licensing authorities
• Part 10: Review of premises licence by licensing authority
  • - Introduction
  • - Initiation of review by licensing authority
  • - Application for a review
  • - Carrying out a review
• Part 11: Provisional statements
  • - Introduction
• Part 12: Rights of appeal and judicial review
  • - Introduction
  • - Giving reasons for decisions
  • - Permits
  • - Temporary use notices
  • - Judicial review
• Part 13: Information exchange
  • - Underlying principles
  • - Information licensing authorities provide to the Commission
  • - Other licensing authority information requirements
• Part 14: Temporary use notices
  • - Introduction
  • - Procedure
  • - Appeals
  • - Endorsement of the notice
  • - Large events
• Part 15: Occasional use notices
  • - Introduction
  • - What constitutes a track
  • - Use (and misuse) of OUNs
  • - Procedure
• Part 16: Gaming machines
  • - Introduction
  • - Categories of gaming machine
  • - Age restrictions
  • - Maximum number of machines by premises type
  • - Multiple activity premises
  • - The meaning of ‘available for use’
  • - Machines other than gaming machines in gambling premises
• Part 17: Casinos
  • - Casino premises
  • - Casino games
  • - Protection of children and young persons
  • - The process for issuing casino premises licences
  • - Resolutions not to issue casino licences
  • - Converted casinos (with preserved rights under Schedule 18 of the Act)
  • - Casino premises licence conditions
  • - Mandatory conditions – small casino premises licences
  • - Mandatory conditions – converted casino premises licences
  • - Default conditions attaching to all casino premises licences
  • - Self-exclusion
• Part 18: Bingo
  • - Introduction
  • - Protection of children and young persons
  • - Gaming machines
  • - Self-exclusion
  • - Bingo in clubs and alcohol-licensed premises
  • - Bingo premises licence conditions
• Part 19: Betting premises
  • - Introduction
  • - Protection of children and young persons
  • - Gaming machines
  • - Self-exclusion
  • - Self-service betting terminals (SSBTs)
  • - Betting premises licence conditions
  • - Industry codes
• Part 20: Tracks
  • - Definition of a track
  • - Track premises licences – differences from other premises licences
  • - Betting on tracks
  • - Licences and other permissions for the provision of betting facilities
  • - Betting on event and non-event days
  • - Social responsibility considerations for tracks
  • - Gaming machines
  • - Self-service betting terminals (SSBTs)
  • - Applications
  • - Licence conditions and requirements
• Part 21: Adult gaming centres
  • - Introduction
  • - Protection of children and young persons
  • - Self-exclusion
  • - Gaming machines
  • - AGC premises licence conditions
• Part 22: Licensed family entertainment centres
  • - Introduction
  • - Protection of children and young persons
  • - Meaning of premises
  • - Licensed FEC premises licence conditions
• Part 23: Introduction to permits
  • - Introduction
• Part 24: Unlicensed family entertainment centres
  • - Introduction
  • - Applying for a permit
  • - Granting or refusing a permit
  • - Lapse, surrender and forfeiture
  • - Renewal
  • - Maintenance
• Part 25: Clubs
  • - Defining clubs
  • - Bingo in clubs
  • - Betting in clubs
  • - Exempt gaming
  • - Protection of children and young persons
  • - Permits
  • - Appeals
• Part 26: Premises licensed to sell alcohol
  • - Introduction
  • - Automatic entitlement to two machines
  • - Licensed premises gaming machine permits
  • - Exempt gaming
  • - Bingo
  • - Betting
  • - Commission codes of practice
  • - Scotland
  • - Protection of children and young persons
  • - Prohibited gaming
• Part 27: Prize gaming and prize gaming permits
  • - Prize gaming
  • - Application for a prize gaming permits
• Part 28: Non-commercial and private gaming, betting and lotteries
  • - Introduction
  • - Non-commercial gaming
  • - Private gaming
  • - Private betting
  • - Incidental lotteries
  • - Non-commercial ‘casino night’
  • - Non-commercial race night
• Part 29: Poker
  • - Introduction
  • - Poker in casinos
  • - Poker as exempt gaming in clubs and alcohol licensed premises
  • - Poker as non-commercial gaming
  • - Poker as private gaming
  • - Advertising
• Part 30: Travelling fairs
  • - Introduction
• Part 31: Crown immunity and excluded premises
  • - Crown immunity and excluded premises
• Part 32: Territorial application of the Gambling Act 2005
  • - Territorial application of the Gambling Act 2005
• Part 33: Door supervision
  • - Door supervision
• Part 34: Small society lotteries
  • - Small society lotteries
  • - The status of lotteries under the Act
  • - Licensing authority guidance
  • - Social responsibility
  • - External lottery managers’ licence status
  • - Lottery tickets
  • - Prizes
  • - Specific offences in relation to lotteries
  • - Application and registration process for small society lotteries
  • - Administration and returns
• Part 35: Chain gift schemes
  • - Introduction
  • - Street collectors selling game cards
• Part 36: Compliance and enforcement matters
  • - Fees
  • - Enforcement officers and authorised persons
  • - Powers of entry – England and Wales
  • - Powers of entry in Scotland
  • - Illegal gambling
  • - Test purchasing and age verification
  • - Primary Authority
  • - Prosecutions
  • - Other powers
  • - Case law, templates and case studies
• Appendix A: Summary of machine provisions by premises
• Appendix B: Summary of gaming machine categories and entitlements
• Appendix C: Summary of gaming entitlements for clubs and alcohol-licensed premises
• Appendix D: Summary of offences under the Gambling Act 2005
• Appendix E: Summary of statutory application forms and notices
• Appendix F: Inspection powers
• Appendix G: Licensing authority delegations
• Appendix H: Poker games and prizes
• Appendix I: Glossary of terms

Appendix F: Inspection powers

• PO – Police Officer
• EO – Enforcement Officer
• AP – Authorised Person
• LAAP – Licensing Authority Authorised Person

Section of Act	Classes of person	Premises to which the inspection power applies	Purpose for which inspection power is available
S.307 Inspection of gambling	PO, EO, AP	Reasonable suspicion of provision at premises of gambling other than private and non-commercial gaming or betting	Whether gambling facilities are/have been provided Whether there is an operating licence or premises licence Whether there is compliance with licence conditions
S.308 Operating licence holders	PO, EO	Reasonable belief premises used by operating licensed holder for purpose connected with licensed activities	Whether there is compliance with licence conditions
S.309 Family Entertainment Centres	PO, EO, LAAP	Premises for which an application for a family entertainment centre gaming machine permit has been made	A purpose connected with consideration of the application For determining whether gaming machines comply with the Act and the Regulations
S.310(1) Premises licensed for alcohol	EO, LAAP	Premises licensed for the supply of alcohol	A purpose connected with consideration of the application
S.310(2) Premises licensed for alcohol	PO, EO, LAAP	Premises licensed for alcohol for consumption on the premises	whether gaming satisfies conditions under S179 for exempt gaming whether there is compliance with any operating licence conditions where bingo is played whether high turnover bingo is played under s181 the number and category of gaming machines available for use
S.311 Prize gaming permits	PO, EO, LAAP	Premises for which an application for a prize gaming permit has been made	A purpose connected with consideration of the application For determining whether gaming machines comply with the Act and the Regulations
S.312(1)-(3) Clubs	PO, EO	Premises reasonably believed to be a members’ club, commercial club or miners welfare institute	whether gaming is or is about to take place whether any gaming accords with a club gaming permit, club machine permit or exempt gaming provision under s169
S.312(4) Clubs	LAAP	Premises for which an application for a club gaming permit or club machine permit has been made	A purpose connected with consideration of the application
S.313(1) Licensed premises	PO, EO, AP	Premises for which an application for a premises licence has been made	Assess likely effects of activities on licensing objectives
S.313(2) Licensed premises	PO, EO, AP	Premises for which a premises licence is in force	A purpose connected with a premises licence review under s201
S.314 Registered society lotteries	EO, LAAP	Premises owned or used by a (non-commercial) society registered with a local authority for exempt lotteries	Enquiries in connected with a lottery promoted on behalf of the society
S.315(1) Temporary use notice	PO, EO, AP	Premises for which a temporary use notice has effect	Assess likely effectives of activities on licensing objectives
S.315(2) Temporary use notice	PO, EO, AP	Premises for which a temporary use notice has effect	Whether activities accord with the temporary use notice

Previous section
Appendix E: Summary of statutory application forms and notices Next section
Appendix G: Licensing authority delegations

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Last updated: 14 September 2023

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