Guidance
Guidance to licensing authorities
The Gambling Commission's guidance for licensing authorities.
Contents
- Changes to the Guidance for Licensing Authorities
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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
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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
- 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
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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
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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
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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
11 - Additional information to be made available
6.69. In order to ensure that applicants and persons who wish to make representations have the necessary information to be able to do so, the information set out below should be made available by licensing authorities are part of their communication strategy.
6.70. It is open to licensing authorities to include any of this information in their policy statement. However, they might think it more appropriate to make it available in another form, such as on their website.
Registers
6.71. S.156 of the Act requires licensing authorities to maintain a register of the premises licences that it has issued. The register must be made available, at any reasonable time, to the public who may request copies of the entries. Authorities should ensure that information regarding the location of the registers (eg on the website, in the council offices), when they can be viewed, and the cost of obtaining copies is made available to the public.
6.72. A database of premises licences is available on the Commission’s website and consists of information submitted by licensing authorities. The register is published with the caveat that the Commission cannot provide any assurance on the completeness and accuracy of this data. The Commission recommends that licensing authorities should be contacted directly for accurate and up-to-date premises information.
Fees
6.73. Under s.212(2)(d) of the Act, local authorities in England and Wales shall ‘aim to ensure that the income from fees… as nearly as possible equates to the costs of providing the service to which the fees relates’. Further information on fees setting in England, Wales and Scotland in available in Part 36.
Applications
6.74. Licensing authorities should ensure that information is available on how to make applications for licences and other permissions under the Act. In particular, it would be helpful if licensing authorities ensure that a full list of responsible authorities and their appropriate contact details is readily available. Application forms, where appropriate, should also be made available. Licensing authorities should note that there are no prescribed application forms for family entertainment centre, prize gaming or licensed premises gaming machine permits. As such, the licensing authority will need to make clear how applications for these permits should be made and in what form. Additionally, licensing authorities will need to ensure that information regarding making representations, and applying for a review of a premises licence, is also made available.
Statutory application forms and notices
6.75. There are 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.
Delegation
6.76. Information should be provided as to how functions are delegated under the Act (eg whether decisions are to be taken by a licensing officer, licensing sub-committee or full committee). A table setting out the scheme of delegation required by the Act may be the most appropriate method for this and is located in Part 4 of this guidance.
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Last updated: 11 May 2023
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