Article: Gambling Act - Licensing Premises Article Body The Gambling Act 2005 came into force on 1 September 2007. The new legislation transferred responsibility for the licensing of gambling premises from the local magistrates courts to the Licensing Authority (the council). The Gambling Commission deal with applications for Personal Licences and Operating Licences. Further information and application forms may be accessed by visiting the Gambling Commission website. A premises licence is required where a company or individual proposes to offer premises based gambling and are issued in respect of specific premises. There are a number of gambling premises licences available, these are: Casino Premises Licence Enables games to be played or staked against a bank and/or where each players' chance of winning are not equal. (Not currently available within Barnsley) Bingo Premises Licence Grants the provision of bingo equipment and authorises a maximum of 4 Category B3 or B4 gaming machines and unlimited Category C and D machines to be available on the premises. Betting Premises Licence Allows for the provision of facilities for betting, by making or accepting bets or by acting as a betting intermediary and will authorise a maximum of 4 Category B2 to D gaming machines to be available on the premises. Family Entertainment Centre Premises Licence Licensed family entertainment centres are able to offer an unlimited number of category C and D gaming machines. Children are allowed to enter licensed family entertainment centres, but they are only permitted to gamble on category D machines. All category C machines must be located only in over-18 areas, that is sectioned off from the category D machines. Adult Gaming Centre Premises Licence Arcades for adults providing gaming machines with higher payouts than Family Entertainment Centres and may offer up to 4 category B3 and B4 machines along with an unlimited amount of category C and D machines. They are for over 18s only and children are not allowed on any part of the premises. A premises licence does not authorise the use of premises for more than one type of activity, except in the case of a track. A licence may not be issued in respect of premises if those premises already have a premises licence in effect. How to apply If you are applying for a new premises licence then you must comply with the following procedure. Submit your application form, enclose a plan of the premises and licence fee to the Licensing Authority. You must give the prescribed form of Notice of Application to all the Responsible Authorities within 7 days beginning on the date on which the application is made. If you give notice to a particular Responsible Authority but it is not in the correct form then you must give the correct form of notice as soon as practicable after the end of the 7 day period. The particular Responsible Authority then has 28 days to make representation beginning on the day it receives the correct notice. You must then publish a prescribed notice of application in a local newspaper on at least one occasion during the period of 10 working days starting with the day on which the application is made. If the notice is not in the correct form then you must publish the correct form of notice as soon as practicable after the end of the 10 day working period. An interested party then has 28 days to make a representation beginning on the day the correct notice has been published. You must then publish the same prescribed form of notice on the premises in a place where it can be conveniently read by the public from the exterior of the premises for 28 consecutive days starting on the date on which the application is made. If the notice is not in the correct form then you must publish the correct form of notice as soon as practicable after the end of the 10 day working period. An interested party then has 28 days to make a representation beginning on the day the correct notice has been published. Application forms Premises Licence Application Forms may be downloaded from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's website. What happens next Once it has been granted, the new premises licence will not have to be renewed unless there is a change in circumstances, but it will be subject to an annual fee payable to the Licensing Authority. You will be expected to conform with the relevant Mandatory and Default Licence Conditions or relevant Codes of Practiceissued by the Gambling Commission. Supporting information Responsible Authorities A list of Responsible Authorities and their contact details can be found by clicking here. Fees The Council has approved the fees to be charged for applications under the Gambling Act 2005. Please click here to view the Licensing Fees. Contact us The Licensing Section Regulatory Services Barnsley Council PO Box 602 Barnsley S70 9FB Our office hours are 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 4.30pm on Friday. Phone: 01226 772468 Email: regulatoryservices@barnsley.gov.uk