Guidance
Guidance to licensing authorities
The Gambling Commission's guidance for licensing authorities.
Contents
- 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
- Part 3: The Gambling Commission
- Part 4: Licensing authorities
- Part 5: Principles to be applied by licensing authorities
- Part 6: Licensing authority policy statement
- Part 7: Premises licences
- Part 8: Responsible authorities and interested parties definitions
- Part 9: Premises licence conditions
- Part 10: Review of premises licence by licensing authority
- Part 11: Provisional statements
- Part 12: Rights of appeal and judicial review
- Part 13: Information exchange
- Part 14: Temporary use notices
- Part 15: Occasional use notices
- Part 16: Gaming machines
- 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
- Part 19: Betting premises
- 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
- Part 22: Licensed family entertainment centres
- Part 23: Introduction to permits
- Part 24: Unlicensed family entertainment centres
- Part 25: Clubs
- Part 26: Premises licensed to sell alcohol
- Part 27: Prize gaming and prize gaming permits
- Part 28: Non-commercial and private gaming, betting and lotteries
- Part 29: Poker
- Part 30: Travelling fairs
- Part 31: Crown immunity and excluded premises
- Part 32: Territorial application of the Gambling Act 2005
- Part 33: 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
- Part 36: Compliance and enforcement matters
- 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
2 - Operating licences
Types of operating licence
2.4. There are various types of operating licence, linked to different types of gambling activity. S.65 of the Act sets out the types of operating licence that may be issued. Some types of gambling activity may be provided remotely, for example over the internet (online gambling) or telephone, or non-remotely such as in land-based premises. Some types of licence provide additional permissions, for example to make particular numbers and types of gaming machine available.
2.5. Different activities may be authorised by a single operating licence (a combined operating licence), but a single licence cannot authorise both remote and non-remote activity. The different types of licence and their associated permissions are summarised in the following table:
| Type of licence | Non-remote gambling authorised | Remote gambling authorised |
|---|---|---|
| Casino operating licence | Yes | Yes |
| Bingo operating licence | Yes | Yes |
| General betting operating licence | Yes | Yes |
| Pool betting operating licence | Yes | Yes |
| Betting intermediary operating licence | Yes | Yes |
| Gaming machine general operating licence for an adult gaming centre | Yes | No |
| Gaming machine general operating licence for a family entertainment centre | Yes | No |
| Gaming machine technical operating licence | Yes | Yes† |
| Gambling software operating licence | Yes | Yes† |
| Lottery operating licence | Yes | Yes |
2.6. Operating licences are not transferable. However, there are provisions in the Act which deal with circumstances in which control of a company changes hands.
References
† by means of remote communication
Introduction Next section
How operating licences are granted
Last updated: 25 May 2023
Show updates to this content
Formatting changes.