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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
7 - Gaming machines
20.33. A track premises licence does not of itself entitle the holder to provide gaming machines, as this type of premises licence can be held without any corresponding operating licence. However, by virtue of s.172(9) of the Act, track owners holding both a track premises licence and a pool betting operating licence issued by the Commission (currently only greyhound tracks), may site up to four gaming machines within categories B2 to D on the track.
20.34. Some tracks will also hold an alcohol licence and as such they will be automatically entitled under s.282 of the Act to two gaming machines of category C or D. This permission is activated by notifying the licensing authority and paying the required fee. If a track premises licence holder has both an alcohol licence and a pool betting operating licence, then they will be entitled to a total of six gaming machines (two via the alcohol licence and four via the operating licence).
20.35. Applications for licensed premises gaming machine permits to allow more than two gaming machines are not permitted where the premises are, or are part of, premises already covered by a premises licence including a betting premises licence in respect of a track (Schedule 13(1)(2), of the Act). However, there is a special saving for any alcohol-licensed premises within tracks in England and Wales which already had permission for more than two gaming machines pursuant to permits issued under s.34 of the Gaming Act 1968 (opens in new tab) and made an application for licensed premises gaming machine permits in accordance with transitional provisions (SI 2006/3272 - The Gambling Act 2005 (Commencement No.6 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2006 (opens in new tab) - Schedule 4, paragraphs 27 and 30).
20.36. Children and young persons can play category D gaming machines on a track but are not allowed to play other categories of machine.
20.37. Alcohol premises licence holders who wish to make one or two gaming machines available for use in reliance on s.282 of the Act are required to send the licensing authority written notice of their intention and to pay the prescribed fee (SI 2007/1832 - Gaming Machines in Alcohol Licensed Premises (Notification Fee) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 (opens in new tab), Regulation 3). It is also a requirement that any relevant provision of a code of practice under s.24 about the location and operation of a gaming machine is complied with. This includes The gaming machine permits code of practice.
20.38. The Commission has attached a condition to all pool betting operating licences that the operator must:
- have and put into effect policies and procedures designed to prevent underage gambling
- monitor the effectiveness of these.
Social responsibility considerations for tracks Next section
Self-service betting terminals (SSBTs)
Last updated: 14 September 2023
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