Gaming machines
Gaming machine permit or notification
If your premises is licensed under the Licensing Act 2003 for the sale of alcohol on the premises (except where the sale of alcohol is to accompany food) then you have an automatic entitlement to offer either one or two gaming machines of category C or D.
The licence holder for the sale of alcohol must give notice of the intention to make gaming machines available to the licensing authority, and pay a £50 fee. These last until the licence holder changes.
This is in accordance with section 282 of the Gambling Act 2005.
Licensees who wish to provide more than two category C or D machines must obtain a gaming machine permit.
The fee for this is £150 and there is an annual fee of £50. You must also submit a plan of the premises identifying the location of each machine.
Applicants can use the same form to apply for a gaming machine permit or to notify the licensing authority of their intention to make available one or two machines.
What happens next
For licensed premises all notifications are automatically granted and the confirmation will be with you within two weeks. With permits for more than two machines, the licensing department will check with the police and the gambling commission to ensure that there are no objections, and will issue the permit to you within two weeks. If there are objections, a licensing sub-committee will be organised as soon as reasonably practicable.
Gaming machines at club premises
There are two types of permits under the Gambling Act 2005 for gaming machines in members’ clubs, commercial clubs and miners’ welfare institutes.
Club gaming permits allow a combination of up to three machines in the following categories: B3a, B4, C and D. They also allow gaming up to certain limits. The permits last 10 years and the application fee is £200 with an annual fee of £50.
Club machine permits allow a combination of up to three machines in the following categories: B3a, B4, C and D. The permits last 10 years and the application fee is £200 with an annual fee of £50.
At the end of the 10 years there is a renewal process for both types of permits.
How to apply
For clubs the applicant is required to serve a copy to the police and the gambling commission. Where there are no objections, the permit will automatically be granted and where there are objections, the application will be taken to a licensing sub-committee as soon as reasonably practicable.