Gambling Act 2005

Gambling Act 2005

The Gambling Act 2005 changed the law on gambling. It has repealed previous betting, gaming and lotteries legislation and brings together all of the legislation regulating gambling into one Act, other than the National Lottery and spread betting. The Act became law on 7 April 2005 and came into place on 1 September 2007.

The Licensing Authority published its Statement of Principles (a policy), which came into force in January 2007.
 
We are required to review the Statement of Principles at intervals not exceeding three years.

The Gambling Act 2005 covers three types of licence:

• Operating licences
• Personal licences
• Premises licences

The Act replaces the:

• Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963
• Gaming Act 1968
• Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976

The Act contains three licensing aims:

• Stop gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being linked with crime or disorder, or being used to support crime.
• Make sure that gambling happens in a fair and open way.
• Protect children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

The following document details the various Gambling Act 2005 fees.

The Gambling Commission

The Gambling Commission came about as a result of the Act. Taking over from the Gaming Board for Great Britain, it now carries out the role which used to be done by the Gaming Board, such as regulating gaming and certain lotteries.
From 2007, the Commission grants operating and personal licences for commercial gambling and people working in the industry. It also regulates certain lottery managers and promoters. If you would like to know more please visit the Gambling Commission web site.

Gambling and the Council

The Gambling Act 2005 gives local councils a number of important roles related to gambling. The main ones are:

• Licence premises for gambling (casino, bingo and betting premises - including tracks, adult gaming centres and family entertainment centres).
• Look at notices given for the temporary use of premises for gambling.
• Grant permits for gaming and gaming machines in clubs and miners' welfare institutes.
• Regulate gaming and gaming machines in alcohol licensed premises.
• Grant permits to family entertainment centres for the use of certain lower stake gaming machines.
• Grant permits for prize gaming.
• Look at occasional use notices for betting at tracks.
• Register small societies lotteries.

The Act says that (except in the case of tracks) only people who hold, or have applied for, an operating licence from the Gambling Commission may apply to the Council's licensing authority for a premises licence.

Do you want to know more about the Gambling Act 2005? Please visit the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) web site. The site also gives some answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs).

DCMS has produced two useful guides on the new legislation called New Gambling Act Explained, focusing on Information for Local Residents and Information for Councillors. Both guides may be accessed by clicking on the links.

If you have any queries or questions regarding the Gambling Act 2005, then the Licensing team will be pleased to assist you.

Contact us

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Regulatory Services
PO Box 602
Barnsley
S70 9FB

Phone: Regulatory Services 01226 772468
Email: Regulatory Services