​Gambling Act 2005

Statement of Licensing Principles 2022

The local area profile is the same as that produced in 2017 and is aimed at establishing those persons within the City of London that are most vulnerable to gambling. This is then reflected in the policy with procedures in place to help protect those persons. It is the intention, following two years of the pandemic, to update the local area profile prior to the next policy which is due in 2025.

The biggest area of concern appears to be the controlling of on-line gambling activities. This is not mentioned within the policy as it is outside the remit of a local authority and is enforced by the Gambling Commission.

Guidelines

The Gambling Act 2005 created a single regulator for all commercial betting, gaming and lottery operators in Great Britain (except for spread betting and the National Lottery) in the form of the Gambling Commission, which is responsible for issuing operating and personal licences.

The Act also transferred powers from the Court to local authorities, known as 'licensing authorities', making them responsible for issuing premises licences for gambling in their geographical area

Licensable activities

Two main activities are covered by the Act:

• Providing facilities for gambling
• Using premises for gambling

Gambling is defined as:

• Gaming - playing a game of chance for a prize
• Betting - making or accepting a bet on the outcome of a race, competition or other event or process
• Lottery - purchasing a chance to win a prize

The Act empowers the licensing authority to:

• licence premises for gambling activities
• consider 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 (FECs) for the use of certain lower stake gaming machines
• grant permits for prize gaming
• consider occasional use notices for betting at tracks
• register small society lotteries

Licensing objectives

The Act sets out three licensing objectives that are fundamental to the legislation. These are:

• Preventing gambling from being a source of crime and disorder, being associated with crime or disorder, or being used to support crime.
• Ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way.
• Protecting children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.
• The City of London licensing authority must aim to permit the use of premises for gambling in so far as the authority think fit reasonably consistent with the licensing objectives.

More information

For more information email the Licensing team or call 020 7332 3406.