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
Operational information
| Group | Question | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Account and registrations | Funds held in customer accounts | This section is only applicable for full casino B2C operating licensees. If you hold only a game host (casino) licence, please enter 0 in this field. |
| Account and registrations | Total number of active accounts for Gambling Commission licensed activities | This section is only applicable for full casino B2C operating licensees. If you hold only a game host (casino) licence, please enter 0 in this field. |
| Account and registrations | Number of new registrations | This section is only applicable for full casino B2C operating licensees. If you hold only a game host (casino) licence, please enter 0 in this field. |
| Operational events | Complaints logged by the operator (GB) | This section is only applicable for full casino B2C operating licensees. If you hold only a game host (casino) licence, please enter 0 in this field. |
| Operational events | Of which, disputes referred to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) entity (GB) | This section is only applicable for full casino B2C operating licensees. If you hold only a game host (casino) licence, please enter 0 in this field. |
| Operational events | Self-exclusions made during the period (GB) | This section is only applicable for full casino B2C operating licensees. If you hold only a game host (casino) licence, please enter 0 in this field. |
| Operational events | Known breaches of self-exclusion (GB) | This section is only applicable for full casino B2C operating licensees. If you hold only a game host (casino) licence, please enter 0 in this field. |
| Operational events | People who have gambled were unable to verify their age (GB) | This section is only applicable for full casino B2C operating licensees. If you hold only a game host (casino) licence, please enter 0 in this field. |
| Operational events | Incidents logged in customer interaction log (GB) | This section is only applicable for full casino B2C operating licensees. If you hold only a game host (casino) licence, please enter 0 in this field. |
| Operational events | Individuals in interaction (GB) | This section is only applicable for full casino B2C operating licensees. If you hold only a game host (casino) licence, please enter 0 in this field. |
| Operational events | Restrictions made on individual products (GB) | This section is only applicable for full casino B2C operating licensees. If you hold only a game host (casino) licence, please enter 0 in this field. |
| Operational events | Timeouts (GB) | This section is only applicable for full casino B2C operating licensees. If you hold only a game host (casino) licence, please enter 0 in this field. |
| Operational events | Time and money limits (GB) | This section is only applicable for full casino B2C operating licensees. If you hold only a game host (casino) licence, please enter 0 in this field. |
| Contributions | Are contributions made? | Licensees must make an annual financial contribution to one or more organisation(s) which are approved by the Commission, and which between them deliver or support research into the prevention and treatment of gambling-related harms, harm prevention approaches and treatment for those harmed by gambling (LCCP Code 3.1.1). Select the appropriate option (yes or no) to whether or not you have made a contribution. |
| Contributions | Past or future contribution | Only applicable if selected 'no' in previous question - please confirm if a contribution has been made following the payment of your most recent annual fee, or whether it is due to be paid before the next annual fee is due. |
| Contributions | Contributions made via trade body | If you are a trade association or body member and your contribution was made through them please select ‘Yes’. If you are not a member of a trade association or body member, or you are but that body does not make a contribution then select ‘No’. |
| Contributions | Trade body | Please state the name of the trade body that made the contribution on your behalf. |
| Contributions | Value of contribution | Only complete this section in the quarterly period that you make the contribution. Record the value of your contribution. If you have apportioned your contribution across a number of sectors you should record the amount relevant to the licensed activity covered by the regulatory return. That is, if your business completes more than one regulatory return, your Research, Education Treatment (RET) contribution should be divided between the different sectors and recorded in the relevant returns. Do not record the company’s total contribution in full on each regulatory return. |
| Contributions | Date of contribution | Enter the date the contribution was made. |
| Contributions | Details of contribution | Enter details relating to the contribution. |
Last updated: 30 September 2024
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