Casino nights may be held as part of an 'exempt entertainment', as laid down in section 15 of the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976. A copy of the Act can be obtained from the Stationery Office.
Under Section 15, the promoters of an 'exempt entertainment' (i.e. a fete, dinner, dance, sporting event or bazaar) may provide as part of the entertainment any 'amusement with prizes', whether it is a lottery or gaming or both, provided the following conditions are met:
- That the whole proceeds of the entertainment, after deducting the expenses of the entertainment, shall be devoted to purposes other than private gain
- That the facilities for winning prizes at such amusements are not the only or substantial inducement to persons to attend the entertainment
Casino nights offered by commercial organisations
For many years, commercial organisations have offered to provide equipment and gaming staff to persons organising casino nights. These events are becoming more numerous and may not always fall within the law.
In many instances it is clear that, far from being incidental to the overall entertainment, it is intended to be the main if not the only attraction of the event and is, therefore, unlawful.
The legality of such gaming depends very much on individual circumstances and only the courts can interpret definitively whether an entertainment is lawful or not. If any doubt exists, a promoter should seek legal advice.
Other issues to consider
With bankers games, in the long term, the banker can expect to come out on top because he has the mathematical edge. Since these are games of chance, however, it is possible for the bank to lose heavily in the short term.
For that reason, licensed casinos are required to maintain substantial cash reserves to cover short term losses. Promoters should, therefore, consider structuring the games in such a way as to limit their downside potential.
Last updated March 2006
