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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Part 12: Rights of appeal and 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
- Part 15: Occasional use notices
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
2 - Application for a prize gaming permits
27.9. Schedule 14 sets out the application process and regulatory regime for prize gaming permits. In considering an application, the licensing authority shall have regard to this guidance and need not, but may wish, to have regard to the licensing objectives.
27.10. An application for a permit can only be made by a person who occupies or plans to occupy the relevant premises and if the applicant is an individual, he must be aged 18 or over. An application for a permit cannot be made if a premises licence or club gaming permit is in effect for the same premises. The application must be made to the licensing authority in whose area the premises are wholly or partly situated.
27.11. The authority must specify the form and manner in which the application should be made, and specify what information and documents (for example, insurance certificates, plans of building) they require to accompany the application. An application must specify the premises and the nature of the gaming for which the permit is sought.
27.12. In their statement of policy, licensing authorities should include a statement of principles that they propose to apply when exercising their functions in considering applications for permits. In particular, they may want to set out the matters that they will take into account in determining the suitability of the applicant. For example, if the premises will appeal to children and young persons, licensing authorities should think about matters relating to protection of children from being harmed or exploited by gambling and where necessary consult the Safeguarding Children Board or local equivalent. Licensing authorities should ask the applicant to set out the types of gaming that they are intending to offer, and the applicant should be able to demonstrate that:
- they understand the limits to stakes and prizes that are set out in regulations
- the gaming offered is within the law.
- Granting or refusing a permit
27.13. The licensing authority can grant or refuse an application for a permit, but cannot add conditions. The licensing authority may grant a permit only if they have consulted the chief officer of police about the application. The licensing authority will want to take account of any objections that the police may wish to make which are relevant to the licensing objectives. Relevant considerations would include the suitability of the applicant in terms of any convictions that they may have that would make them unsuitable to operate prize gaming; and the suitability of the premises in relation to their location and any issues concerning disorder.
27.14. A permit cannot be issued in respect of a vessel or a vehicle.
27.15. The licensing authority may not refuse an application unless they have notified the applicant of the intention to refuse and the reasons for it and given them an opportunity to make representations orally or in writing or both.
27.16. If a permit is granted, the licensing authority must issue it as soon as is reasonably practicable. The Secretary of State has set out the form of the permit in regulations (SI No 455/2007: The Gambling Act 2005 (Prize Gaming)(Permits) Regulations 2007) (opens in new tab). The permit must specify the person to whom it is issued, the premises to which it relates, the nature of the gaming, the date on which it takes effect, the date on which it expires, and the name and address of the licensing authority issuing the permit. Scottish Ministers have made separate regulations (SSI No 309/2007: The Gambling Act 2005 (Fees)(Scotland) Regulations 2007 (opens in new tab)) in respect of fees associated with prize gaming permits.
27.17. If the person to whom the permit is issued changes their name, or wants to be known by another name, they may send the permit to the issuing authority for amendment, together with the appropriate fee. The authority must comply with the request and return the permit to the holder.
Duration, lapse, surrender and forfeiture
27.18. The permit will have effect for ten years, unless it ceases to have effect, lapses or is renewed. There is no annual fee for prize gaming permits.
27.19. The permit may lapse for a number of reasons:
- if the holder ceases to occupy the premises
- if an individual permit holder dies, becomes incapable by reason of mental or physical incapacity, becomes bankrupt, or sequestration of his estate is ordered
- if a company holding the permit goes into liquidation
- if the holder (for example a partnership) otherwise ceases to exist.
27.20. Where a permit lapses, the Act provides that the permit may be relied upon for a period of six months after it has lapsed, by the following persons:
- the personal representative of the holder (in the case of death)
- the trustee of the bankrupt estate (in the case of individual bankruptcy)
- the holder’s interim or permanent trustee (in the case of an individual whose estate is sequestrated)
- the liquidator of the company (in the case of a company that goes into liquidation).
27.21. The permit may also cease to have effect if the holder surrenders it to the licensing authority. Notice of such surrender must be accompanied by the permit, or an explanation as to why the permit cannot be produced.
27.22. If the permit holder is convicted of a relevant offence (that is an offence listed in Schedule 7 of the Act), the court may order the forfeiture of the permit. The court must order the holder to deliver the permit to the licensing authority, or provide a statement explaining why it is not reasonably practicable to produce it. The court must notify the licensing authority that it has made a forfeiture order as soon as is reasonably practicable after making the order. Such an order may be suspended by a higher court pending appeal against conviction of a relevant offence.
Renewal
27.23. In accordance with paragraph 18 of Schedule 14, an application for renewal of a permit must be made during the period beginning six months before the permit expires and ending two months before it expires. The procedure for renewal is the same as for an application.
27.24. A permit will not cease to have effect while a renewal application is pending, including an appeal against a decision not to renew.
Maintenance
27.25. The permit must be kept on the premises, and it is an offence not to produce it when requested to do so by a constable, an enforcement officer, or an authorised local authority officer.
27.26. If a permit is lost, stolen or damaged, the holder may apply for a replacement subject to paying the fee set by the Secretary of State and Scottish Ministers. The licensing authority must grant the application if it is satisfied that the permit has been lost, stolen or damaged and a report has been made to the police. It should issue a copy and certify it as a true copy.
Appeals
27.27. The rights of appeal in relation to permits are discussed in Part 12 of this guidance.
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Last updated: 14 September 2023
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