15.4. Local sporting clubs or other venues seeking to become tracks through a contrived sporting event have utilised Occasional Use Notices (OUNs) to solely or primarily facilitate betting taking place on events occurring away from the identified venue, examples include the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National meeting. Whilst we have not introduced a new licence condition limiting the betting to the outcomes of a race, competition or other sporting event taking place at the track in question whilst the OUN is in force, the situation is being kept under review.

15.5. OUNs may not be relied upon for more than eight days in a calendar year, which relates to a calendar year starting 1 January and not to any period of 12 months. The Secretary of State has the power to increase or decrease the number of OUNs that are permitted, but there are currently no plans to use this power.

15.6. Non-commercial, fundraising race nights can be run as betting events at sporting venues under the authority of an OUN, whether or not the sporting event on which the bets are taken is held at that venue. The sporting event on which the bets are or will be taken also need not be taking place at the same time as the betting under the OUN.

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Last updated: 2 November 2023

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