Guidance

Guidance to licensing authorities

The Gambling Commission's guidance for licensing authorities.

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Published
1 April 2021

Last updated
7 December 2023 - Changes

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Contents

• Guidance to licensing authorities

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• 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
• - Introduction
• - Statutory framework
• - Licensing authority decisions
• 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
• - Introduction
• - Responsible authorities
• - Interested parties
• 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
• - Introduction
• Part 12: Rights of appeal and judicial review
• - Introduction
• - Giving reasons for decisions
• - Permits
• - Temporary use notices
• - 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
• - Introduction
• - Procedure
• - Appeals
• - Endorsement of the notice
• - Large events
• Part 15: Occasional use notices
• - Introduction
• - What constitutes a track
• - Use (and misuse) of OUNs
• - Procedure
• 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
• - Introduction
• 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
• - Prize gaming
• - Application for a 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
• - Introduction
• Part 31: Crown immunity and excluded premises
• - Crown immunity and excluded premises
• Part 32: Territorial application of the Gambling Act 2005
• - Territorial application of the Gambling Act 2005
• Part 33: Door supervision
• - 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
• - Introduction
• - Street collectors selling game cards
• 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

1 - Introduction

24.1. Unlicensed family entertainment centres (uFEC) are able to offer only category D machines in reliance on a gaming machine permit. Any number of category D machines can be made available with such a permit, although there may be other considerations, such as fire regulations and health and safety, to take into account. Permits cannot be issued in respect of vessels or vehicles.

24.2. uFECs are premises which are ‘wholly or mainly’ used for making gaming machines available (S.238 Gambling Act 2005 (opens in new tab)). As a result, it is generally not permissible for such premises to correspond to an entire shopping centre, airport, motorway service station or similar. Typically, the machines would be in a designated, enclosed area.

24.3. A permit lapses if the licensing authority informs the permit holder that the premises are not being used as an FEC (Schedule 10 (14) Gambling Act 2005 (opens in new tab)). Further guidance is set out at paragraph 22.5.

24.4. If the operator wishes to make category C machines available in addition to category D machines, the operator will need to apply for a gaming machine general operating licence (Family Entertainment Centre) from the Commission and a premises licence from the licensing authority.

24.5. Schedule 10 of the Act sets out the application process and regulatory regime for FEC gaming machine permits.

Next section
Applying for a permit

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Last updated: 7 December 2023

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