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Guidance

Guidance to licensing authorities

The Gambling Commission's guidance for licensing authorities.

Published
1 April 2021

Last updated
7 December 2023 - Changes

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Contents

3 - Other licensing authority information requirements

13.13. Licensing authorities are also required to maintain the following information (Schedule 11, Part 5, para 44 of the Gambling Act 2005 (opens in new tab)):

  • small society lotteries: licensing authorities are required to record details of the lottery on a register and to notify both the applicant and the Commission of this registration
  • club gaming permits: when they either grant or reject an application for a club gaming permit they are required to inform both the applicant and the Commission.

13.14. There is a range of statutory application forms and notices that licensing authorities are required to use as part of their gambling licensing responsibilities. A summary list of these can be found in Appendix E.

13.15. Licensing authorities provide advice to those who make enquiries to them, about the legal responsibilities involved in providing premises or holding permits for gambling, whether or not they currently hold a licence or a permit.

13.16. Licensing authorities should feel free to signpost enquiries relating to operating or personal licences to the Commission.

Information the Commission makes available to licensing authorities

13.17. The Commission is required under s.106 of the Act to maintain a register of operating licence holders and make this publicly available. Where a licensing authority needs to check if an applicant for a premises licence holds an operating licence, verification can be found on the register.

Local Authority Compliance Events (LACE)

13.18. In order to make the system of shared regulation as effective and efficient as possible, the Commission notifies licensing authorities of complaints and intelligence received regarding non-compliance and illegality in their geographical area which is primarily of a localised nature. These are referred to as Local Authority Compliance Events (LACE). The responsibility for the LACE referral is then discharged from the Commission to the licensing authority. Licensing authorities are requested to advise the Commission of what, if any, action is taken.

13.19. The complaints that instigate the LACE referrals come from a variety of sources including licensed operators and members of the public. A number of them are received anonymously via the Commission’s intelligence line.

Other information

13.20. The Commission makes other information available to licensing authorities through a range of sources including the Local Authority Bulletin, training events and forums. Further details are set out in Part 3 of this guidance at paragraphs 3.6 onwards.

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Information licensing authorities provide to the Commission
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