C gaming machines
Pubs and alcohol licensed premises
Pubs and other alcohol licensed premises are automatically entitled to two category C or D gaming machines upon notification to the local licensing authority of their intention to make gaming machines available for use.
Licensing authorities can issue gaming machine permits which allow additional category C and D gaming machines to be provided.
Where a gaming machine permit authorises the making available of a specified number of gaming machines in particular premises, this will effectively replace, and not be in addition to, any automatic entitlement to two machines.
Members' clubs and miners' welfare institutes
Members' clubs - for example working men’s clubs, branches of the Royal British Legion and clubs with political ties - and Miners’ welfare institutes as defined in the Licensing Act 2003 (opens in new tab) may site up to three machines from categories B3A, B4, C or D (only one can be B3A) with a club machine permit.
Commercial clubs may site up to three machines from categories B4, C or D (not B3A machines).
C gaming machines requirements
- Maximum stake:
- £1
- Maximum prize:
- £100
- Permitted locations:
-
- pubs
- licensed FEC
- members' club, miners’ welfare club or commercial club
- bingo premises
- adult gaming centre
- betting shops
- tracks with pool betting
- 2005 Act and 1968 Act casinos
- Maximum number of machines - pubs
-
Up to a maximum of 2
or, specified amount with a permit from the Local Authority
- Maximum number of machines - members' club, miners’ welfare club or commercial club
-
Up to a maximum of 3
- Maximum number of machines - bingo premises, adult gaming centre and FEC
-
No limit
- Maximum number of machines - betting shops and tracks with pool betting
-
Up to a maximum of 4
Any combination of categories B to D
- Maximum number of machines - 2005 Act large casino:
-
Up to a maximum of 150
Any combination of categories B to D - subject to a machine to table ratio 5:1
- Maximum number of machines - 2005 Act small casino:
-
Up to a maximum of 80
Any combination of categories B to D - subject to a machine to table ratio 2:1
- Maximum number of machines - 1968 Act casino:
-
Up to a maximum of 20
Any combination of categories B to D - or any number of C or D machines instead
Licences and permits required
Category C machines can only be made available in casino, betting shops, tracks with pool betting, bingo halls, adult gaming centres, members' clubs, miners’ welfare clubs, commercial clubs or pubs.
You must have one of the following to make them available:
- non-remote 2005 Act casino operating licence
- non-remote 1968 Act casino operating licence
- non-remote general betting standard operating licence
- non-remote pool betting operating licence
- non-remote bingo operating licence
- Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) licence
- Family Entertainment Centre (FEC) licence
- alcohol licensed premises
- gaming machine permit.
If you are a machine manufacturer or supplier you will need a gaming machine technical licence, which type will depend on the nature of your business.
Gaming machine technical standards
See our gaming machine technical standards (category C) for the full details of the technical standards which this category of machine must comply with.
All gaming machines sited on licensed or permitted premises must comply with our gaming machine technical standards.
Test houses
Category B4, C, and D gaming machines can be tested by an independent test house (sometimes referred to as test labs), or by the manufacturers' own processes under strict controls.
For categories A, B1, B2, B3, B3A, B4, C, D, server networked and downloadable, cashless payment, linked progressives and wireless networks refer to the gaming machine testing strategy.
Return to player (RTP)
Category C machines must display the “theoretical target percentage return to player”. RTP is an average measured over a large number of games and will vary over a typical session due to normal game volatility.
The manufacturer will decide on the game RTP.
There is no minimum RTP requirement. However, the minimum average return must be displayed to the player for the game.
Files
Some files may not be accessible for users of assistive technology. If you require a copy of the file in an accessible format contact us with details of what you require. It would help us to know what technology you use and the required format.
PDF Files Some PDF files cannot be displayed in a browser, you will see a message saying "Please wait...". If you see this message, you will need to download the file and open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader (opens in new tab).
Previous pageB4 gaming machines Next page
D gaming machines
Last updated: 11 December 2023
Show updates to this content
Following an audit corrected link formatting issues only. Test house link updated