Gambling Act 2005

There are three licensing objectives set out in the Act, as follows:

  • 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 people from being harmed or exploited by gambling

The main area of involvement for the licensing authority is protecting the vulnerable, and the licensing policy is largely devoted to seeking to achieve this, across the range of premises licences and permits which the authority will administer.

Gambling policy

The council’s current Statement of Gambling Policy 2022–2025 came into effect on 15 December 2022. 

Local area profiles

The ward profiles provide socio-demographic characteristics of each area and help describing local differences.

Current gambling issues

The licensing objectives

The licensing objectives for the Gambling Act 2005 are as follows:

  • 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, and
  • protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

This authority is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers, and to this end may use the information you have provided on this form for the prevention and detection of fraud.  It may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes.

For more details on how your information is used please refer to the Environmental Health & Trading Standard privacy notice.

Premises licence

Applicants are required to serve a copy of their application and accompanying documents on the Licensing Authority, together with the appropriate fee and a copy of a notice of the application on all responsible authorities. The application forms are as follows:

Applicants are required to advertise their application outside the premises and in a local newspaper.

Variation of a premises licence

Applicants are required to serve a copy of their variation application and accompanying documents on the Licensing Authority, together with the appropriate fee and a copy of a notice of the application on all responsible authorities. The application forms are as follows:

Applicants are required to advertise their application outside the premises and in a local newspaper.

Transfer of a premises licence

Applicants are required to serve a copy of their transfer application and accompanying documents on the Licensing Authority, together with the appropriate fee and a copy of a notice of the application on the relevant responsible authorities. The application forms are as follows:

Reinstatement of a premises licence

Applicants are required to serve a copy of their transfer application and accompanying documents on the Licensing Authority, together with the appropriate fee and a copy of a notice of the application on the relevant responsible authorities. The application forms are as follows:

Provisional statement

Applicants are required to serve a copy of their application and accompanying documents on the Licensing Authority with the appropriate fee and a copy of a notice of the application on all responsible authorities. The application forms are as follows:

Application for a review of a premises licence

Applicants are required to serve a copy of their application and accompanying documents on the Licensing Authority and a copy of a notice of the application on all responsible authorities and the licence holder.

Gaming machine permits and notifications

From September 1, 2007, a premise wishing to operate with category C or D gaming machines under section 282 of the Gambling Act 2005, must apply to its licensing authority for either a gaming permit or a gaming notification. Gaming permits and notifications have superseded section 34 permits.

Permits can only be used for premises licensed under the Licensing Act 2003 to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises.

What you need to apply for will depend on how many gaming machines you plan to offer.

If you plan to offer TWO or less gaming machines, then pubs and alcohol licensed premises (with a bar authorised to serve drinks without food) will have an automatic entitlement to one or two gaming machines (category C or D), subject to a simple notification procedure.

Alcohol licensed premises (with a bar authorised to serve drinks without food) will need to apply for a licensed premises gaming machine permit.

The automatic entitlement and licensed premises gaming machine permit will be of unlimited duration. Once you have it, you will not need to apply again unless your circumstances change.

Holders of licensed premises gaming machine permits will be required to pay an annual fee.

If the premises licence holder under the Licensing Act 2003 changes, the permission falls, therefore a new notification must be sent to the licensing authority.  

Further information

Copies of the Gambling Act 2005 and Licensing Act 2003 can be obtained from the Office of Public Sector Information , or a copy can be inspected at the council offices where you may also obtain an application form and further help or advice.

Alternatively, download a copy of the application form.

You will be contacted in writing on receipt of the application form.