Gambling Act 2005
This section of the website is divided into the following
sections. Please click the appropriate link:
Background to the Act
Similar to the Licensing Act 2003, the Gambling Act 2005 gives
Cheshire West and Chester Council responsibilities for regualting
and enforcing laws for gambling in Great
Britain. The Gambling Act 2005 has three main objectives:
- Preventing gambling from being a source of crime or 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 persons from being
harmed or exploited by gambling
It also brought the burgeoning Internet gaming sector
within British regulation for the first time. A new
independent regulatory body was created; the Gambling Commission,
which is now the national regulator for commercial
gambling in Great Britain.
The Act replaced the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act of 1963,
the Gaming Act of 1968 and the Lotteries and Amusements Act of
1976. In their place it created three seperate categories of
licence:
- Operating licences
- Personal licences
- Premises licences
The Gambling Commision
The Gambling Commission came about as a result of the Act and
regulates gaming and certain lotteries.
The Gambling Commission grants operating and personal licences
for commercial gambling and people working in the industry. it will
also regulate certain lottery managers and promoters.
The Council as a Licensing Authority Licensing Authorities are
responsible for:
- Licensing premises for gambling (casino, bingo and betting
premises - including tracks, adult gaming centres and family
entertainment centres). The Act requiresthat (except in the case of
tracks) only persons holding or have applied for an operating
licence from the Gambling Commission may apply to the council for a
premises licence
- Adminsitering Temporary Use Notices (notices given for the
temporary use of premises for gambling purposes)
- Granting permits for gaming and gaming machines in clubs and
miners' welfare institutes
- Regulating gaming and gaming machines in alcohol licensed
premises
- Granting permits to family entertainment centres for the use of
certain lower stake gaming machines
- Granting permits for prize gaming
- Adminsitering occasional use notices for betting at tracks
- Registering small societies lotteries
For further details on the Gambling Act please contact your
Local Licensing Team by clicking the link below.
Contact Licensing Team
Guidance and Advice
If you need any guidance concerning the Gambling Act 2005,
please feel free to contact your local Licensing Team. Contact
Details can be found by clicking the following link;
Contact the Licensing Team
New Gambling Act Statement of Principles
The Licensing Authority of Cheshire West and Chester has
published a Statement of Principles which came into force on 1
April 2009. To view the new document, follow the link below:
New
Statement of Principles