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Guidance

Information requirements from licensing authorities

Details on the information that we require from licensing authorities.

Published
20 October 2021

Last updated
20 January 2022 - Changes

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Contents

Glossary of terms

A

Adult gaming centre

An Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) means a premise (not a Family Entertainment Centre) used for making gaming machines available for use. An AGC must be licensed by us. It can offer an unlimited number of category C and D gaming machines and up to 20% of its total number of machines can be of category B3 or B4. The premises is for those aged 18 and over only.

B

Betting

Betting is the making or accepting a bet on (a) the outcome of a race, competition or other event or process, (b) the likelihood of anything occurring or not occurring, or (c) whether anything is or is not true. For the purposes of this definition, it refers to non-remote betting and gaming machines in a licensed betting premise (e.g. betting shop).

Bingo

Bingo means any version of that game, irrespective of by what name it is described. It is commonly a game of chance in which players match randomly drawn numbers against a printed or electronically generated card of numbers. For the purposes of this definition, it refers to non-remote bingo games and gaming machines in a licensed bingo premise (e.g. bingo hall).

C

Casino

Casino is an arrangement whereby people are given an opportunity to participate in one or more casino games. For the purposes of this definition, it refers to non-remote casino games and gaming machines in a licensed casino.

F

Family Entertainment Centre

A Family Entertainment Centre (FEC) means a premise (other than an Adult Gaming Centre) wholly or mainly used for making gaming machines available for use. There are two types of FECs, licensed and unlicensed. A licensed FEC is one licensed by us and allowed to offer an unlimited number of Category C and D gaming machines in a premises which is open to all ages. Category C machines must, however, be in a segregated part of the premises that is supervised to prevent children and young people accessing those machines. An unlicensed FEC contains just Category D gaming machines or bingo prize gaming machines and is also open to all ages. Such a premise does not require a licence from us but must have a permit from its local licensing authority.

I

Inspections

Inspections is a broad term which in this context refers to inspections of licensed gambling premises, or other venues where gambling is authorised, by a licensing authority. We categorise inspections by four types: pre-planned inspections, follow-up inspections, inspections following complaints, and age verification test purchase inspections.

Inspections - Adult gaming centre

See definitions for Inspections and Adult gaming centre.

Inspections - Betting premises

See definitions for Inspections and Betting.

Inspections - Bingo

See definitions for Inspections and Bingo.

Inspections - Casino

See definitions for Inspections and Casino.

Inspections - Other

See definition for Inspections. Other refers to venues which are not licensed gambling premises but where gambling is authorised to take place. Examples are these premises are members’ clubs, miners’ welfare institute, and alcohol licensed premises. The primary purpose of the visit must be to inspect a gambling-related activity.

Inspections - Tracks

See definitions for Inspections and Tracks.

Inspections (follow-up visits)

An inspection (follow-up visit) in this context means an inspection of a licensed gambling premise, or other venue where gambling is authorised, by a licensing authority, following an initial visit where gambling-related issues were identified or needed following up.

Inspections following a complaint

An inspection following a complaint in this context means an inspection of a licensed gambling premise, or other venue where gambling is authorised, by a licensing authority, following its receipt of a complaint (e.g. from a member of the public, a referral by a police force, or the Gambling Commission). Inspections following receipt of a Licensing Authority Compliance Event (LACE) report are a further example.

P

Pre-planned (routine) inspections undertaken

A pre-planned inspection (routine) in this context means a pre-planned inspection of a licensed gambling premise, or other venue where gambling is authorised, by a licensing authority, where the primary purpose of the inspection is to inspect gambling-related matters.

R

Reviews & other gambling compliance and regulatory work

Reviews and other gambling compliance and regulatory work is a term used in our Licensing Authority return where we ask licensing authorities to tell us about any significant review or gambling compliance and regulatory work they wish to make us aware of.

T

Test purchasing visits

It is an offence under the Gambling Act 2005 (Sections 48 and 49) for a young person to gamble or to enter premises restricted to adults. It is also an offence for a person to invite or permit a child to gamble or enter a premise Gambling Act 2005 (Sections 46 and 47). For these reasons, we encourage licensing authorities to conduct age verification test purchasing of the gambling premises they licence. These are a method by which licensing authorities can check if a licensed gambling premise, or other venue where gambling is taking place, has effective controls to prevent underage gambling. A test purchase visit will normally involve a young person, specifically recruited for the task and supervised by a licensing authority enforcement officer, attempting to enter a premise and take part in a gambling activity.

Tracks

Tracks refers to a venue for track racing, such as a horse racecourse, greyhound or dog racing stadium, or point-to-point circuit, where betting takes place, provided by a licensed betting operator. Betting is authorised by an Occasional Use Notice (see separate definition).

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