Gambling Bill
The Gambling Bill establishes a new regime for the regulation of commercial gambling in Great Britain.
The Bill affects betting, bingo, casinos, gaming machines and charity lotteries. It also deals with gambling offered through remote technologies like the Internet. It does not deal with the National Lottery and does not extend to Northern Ireland.
The Bill establishes a new regulator, the Gambling Commission and will be independent of Government. It will license gambling operators and key personnel. Local authorities (or, in Scotland, Licensing Boards) will license gambling premises in their area.
If you have a question about the Bill, which is not answered by the fact sheets, please email us at gambling@culture.gsi.gov.uk and we will answer it. If a number of people ask the same question, we will put the question and the answer on this website.
Progress of the Gambling Bill in Parliament
The Gambling Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 18 October 2004 and published on 19 October. The Bill completed its Commons stages on 24 January 2005. It received a second reading in the House of Lords on the 22nd February, and was considered in Committee on 10 March. Another day of Committee consideration has been scheduled for 7 April and further announcements will follow in due course.
In November the Department published a Technical Paper called Young People and Gambling in Britain (PDF 662kb). The paper is a systematic and critical review of the research literature relating to gaming machine, lottery and pools coupons practice by children and young people under 18. On 16th December 2004, the Government published a Statement of National Policy (PDF 53kb) on casinos. This statement explains how the Government intends to regulate casinos under the Bill.
(19 January 2005) PDF (24kb)
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