Gambling Act 2005

Under the Gambling Act 2005, the Council is required to carry out its functions with a view to promoting three licensing principles. These are:

• Preventing gambling premises 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

Statement of Licensing Principles

The Council’s Licensing Authority is required to adopt a policy document, referred to as a Statement of Licensing Principles, setting out the basic principles of its approach to dealing with applications for licences and permits under the Act.

Bradford Council has adopted a Statement of Licensing Principles for the district, which aims to ensure fairness and consistency within the licensing regime. A copy of the policy document is available on this page.

Gambling premises licences

Businesses or individuals who provide gambling facilities must have a premises licence granted under the Gambling Act 2003.

Who needs a licence

Businesses or individuals who need a licence to provide gambling facilities include:

• casinos
• bingo halls
• bookmakers
• amusement arcades
• racecourses
• sporting arenas (where betting takes place)

Types of licences and fees

Depending on what type of business you wish to operate, there are 5 different types of premises licence available.

You should choose the type that most closely represents the primary purpose of your business.

Casinos

Applications for new casino licences are not possible. The licensing regime for casinos is restricted to those converted from the Gambling Act 1968 (known as converted casinos).

Bingo

The premises has:

• the provision of facilities for the playing of bingo
• a maximum of 20% of the total number of gaming machines available for use that are category B3 or B4
• unlimited category C or D gaming machines
• children are permitted and are able to play the category D machines, but not permitted to enter the area where category C or higher machines are located

Adult Gaming Centres

The premises has:

• a maximum of 20% of the total number of gaming machines available for use that are category B3 or B4
• unlimited category C or D gaming machines
• no children are permitted

Family Entertainment Centre

The premises has:

• an unlimited category C or D gaming machines
• children are permitted in the premises who can play the category D machines, but are not permitted to enter the area where the category C machines are located

Betting (including track betting)

The premises has:

• the provision of facilities for betting whether by making or accepting bets, by acting as a betting intermediary or by providing other facilities for the making or accepting of bets
• a maximum of 4 category B3 or B4 gaming machines
• children are not permitted to enter non-track betting premises (for example, bookmakers or betting shops)
• children are permitted to enter all areas of the premises on designated race days, but are not to be able to enter the area where any category C or B machines are located on non-race days

How to apply

To apply for a new gambling premises licence please email licensing@bradford.gov.uk for a copy of the application form.

You will need a gambling operators licence. You can apply for one on the Gambling Commission website.

To apply for the grant of a gambling premises licence, you will need to complete an application form and pay the relevant fee.

You will need to supply:

• a plan of the premises
• You will also need to advertise your application by the following:
• a public notice on the premises
• a notice published in a local newspaper

After you have submitted your application, you are required to notify each of the responsible authorities about your application including the Gambling Commission:

• Gambling Commission - info@gamblingcommission.gov.uk
• West Yorkshire Police - bradford.licensing@westyorkshire.police.uk;
• Bradford Environmental Health - eh.admin@bradford.gov.uk
• Bradford Children and Families Trust - child.exploitation@bradfordcft.org.uk
• West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service - Fire.safety@westyorksfire.gov.uk
• HM Revenue & Customs - NRUBettingGaming@hmrc.gov.uk
• Bradford Licensing Authority – licensing@bradford.gov.uk

Your licence will be granted unless representations from interested parties or responsible authorities are made. In this case your application will be considered at a hearing.

To accept a representation from an interested party, the licensing authority must take the view that the person:

• lives sufficiently close to the premises to be likely to be affected by the authorised activities
• has business interests that might be affected by the authorised activities
• represents persons in either of these two groups. Licensing authorities will need to have regard to anything an interested party says about their status to make representations.

The licensing authority must grant the application, if no representations are received.

A hearing must be held if any representations are made in respect of the application.

The licensing authority will serve a notice of its decision on the applicant and any person who has made relevant representations.