Casinos are only allowed to operate within certain permitted areas of the country. If you wish to set up a casino in one of these areas, you will need to apply to the Gaming Board for a Certificate of Consent. If this is granted, you will then need to apply to a local licensing magistrate for a premises licence. Please refer to our fact sheet on casino permitted areas for further information.
Bingo
You will need to apply to the Gaming Board for a Certificate of Consent. If this is granted, you will then need to apply to a local licensing magistrate for a premises licence.
Bingo played by clubs or institutes for their members under section 40 of the Gaming Act 1968 or for charity or the benefit of a non-proprietary club under section 41 of the Gaming Act 1968 does not need to be licensed. Bingo under these sections is subject to various restrictions and limitations and is intended to be small scale and non-commercial. For further information, please refer to our fact sheet on Bingo.
Gaming Machines
Casinos, bingo clubs, betting offices and registered clubs are allowed to have a limited number of gaming machines as part of their licence. Permits are required to enable gaming machines to be played on a premises such as pubs and arcades. These can be obtained from either the licensing justices or the local licensing authority, depending on the nature of the premises.
Currently, the granting of Section 34 gaming machine permits in pubs and alcohol licensed premises is the responsibility of licensing justices. From 24 November 2005, local authorities will take over these responsibilities. We have issued Gambling Circular 13 to explain the arrangements we are putting in place to ensure the transition runs as smoothly as possible.
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Society Lotteries
Society lotteries with a turnover of £20,000 (or when the total value of tickets or chances to be put on sale in any lottery, added to the value of those already sold or put on sale in all earlier lotteries in the same calendar year, is to exceed £250,000) must be registered with the Gaming Board for Great Britain. Those with turnover of less than £20,000 must register with their local authority.
Small lotteries held as an incidental feature of other entertainments such as dinners, fetes etc and private lotteries are not required to register. For further information, please refer to our fact sheet on lotteries.
Pool Competitions
Applications for registration as a pools promoter must be made to a local authority or London borough council in the area where the business will be based. For further information, please refer to our fact sheet on pools competitions.
Bookmakers
Applications for a bookmakers permit and betting office licences must be made to the local licensing magistrate in the area where the business is to be based. For further information, please refer to our fact sheet on bookmakers.
Clubs and Miners' Welfare Institutes
Clubs that wish to offer gaming or gaming machines must register with the local licensing magistrate.
Internet Gambling
See our fact sheet on Internet Gambling for further information
Licence, permit or registration cost and duration
as at 1 April 2005
A Regulatory Impact Assessment for current gaming and lotteries fees is available for further information.
|
Cost |
Duration |
| Casino |
| Certificate of Consent Application |
£8,938 |
1 year |
| Casino Licence |
£31,063 |
| Renewal |
£9,395 |
| Transfer |
£8,561 |
| Consent transfer |
£5,586 |
| Bingo |
| Certificate of Consent Application |
£8,852 |
1 year |
| Bingo Licence |
£4,232 |
| Renewal |
£1,778 |
| Transfer |
£1,827 |
| Consent transfer |
£5,901 |
| Gaming machines |
| Grant and renewal of permit for AWP gaming machines under S34 of the Gaming Act 1968 |
£32 |
3 years
|
| Fees for S34 (5e) permits under the Gaming Act 1968 |
Determined by local authorities up to maximum of £250 |
| Clubs and Miners' Welfare Institutes |
| Gaming1 |
| Grant |
£235 |
10 years |
| Renewal |
£120 |
| Gaming machines2 |
| Grant |
£115 |
5 years |
| Renewal |
£70 |
| Society lotteries |
| Registration fee with the Gambling Commission (where the turnover is £20,000+) |
£5,152 |
1 year |
| Renewal fee |
£202 |
| Registration with Local Authority (where the turnover is below £20,000) |
£35 |
| Renewal fee |
£17.50 |
| External lottery manager |
£15,907 |
| In addition, there are fees for each annual lottery return to the Gambling Commission:
>£200k
>£50k
>£20k
>£10k
<£10k
<£2k
Inspection of Lottery Return |
£487
£324
£111
£111
£111
Nil
£10 |
| Pool promoter |
Registration and continuation fee fixed by local authority up to £464 |
1 year |
| Bookmaker |
| Grant |
£160 |
3 years |
| Renewal |
£20 |
| Betting office |
| Grant |
£125 |
3 years |
| Renewal |
£25 |
|
1 Under Part II of the Gaming Act 1968
2Under Part III of the Gaming Act 1968
Last updated 15 September 2005.
