On this page:
Types of Premises Licence
Gambling Policy
Licensing Objectives
Mandatory and Default Conditions
Categories of Gaming Machines
Making an application
Notice of application to responsible authorities
Advertising the application
Fees
The licensing authority can issue the following types of premises licence:
- Bingo Premises Licence
- Adult Gaming Centre Premises Licence
- Family Entertainment Centre Premises Licence
- Betting and Track betting Premises Licence
Applications for a Premises Licence can only be made by an individual, company or partnership:
- Who has the right to occupy the premises
- Who have an operating licence, or have applied for such a licence, from the Gambling Commission.
An individual applicant must be over 18.
Except in the case of a track, a premises licence may not authorise the use of the premises for more than one activity listed above. There may not be more than one premises licence under the Gambling Act in force in respect of one premises at any one time.
All applicants must ensure that they have read the relevant parts of the Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Policy and Principles prior to completing their application.
The licensing objectives are:
- Preventing gambling from being a source of crime and disorder, being associated with crime and 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.
Mandatory conditions attach to each type of Premises Licence. Some types of licence also have default conditions (which you can apply to exclude / amend). Before making an application you should familiarise yourself with the conditions that apply to the category of licence you are applying for.
Categories of gaming machines
| Category of machine | Maximum stake | Maximum prize |
|---|
| A |
Unlimited |
Unlimited |
| B1 |
£5 |
£10,000* |
| B2 (also known as Fixed Odds Betting Terminals) |
£2 |
£500 |
| B3 |
£2 |
£500 |
| B3A |
£2 |
£500 |
| B4 |
£2 |
£400 |
| C |
£1 |
£100 |
| D money prize |
10p |
£5 |
| D non money prize (not crane grab) |
30p |
£8 |
| D non money prize (crane grab) |
£1 |
£50 |
| D combined money & non money prize (coin pusher / penny falls) |
20p |
£20 (of which no more than £10 may be a money prize) |
| D combined money & non money prize (other than coin pusher / penny falls) |
10p |
£8 (of which no more than £5 may be a money prize) |
*with option of maximum £20,000 linked progressive jackpot on premises basis only.
The table below shows the types and number of machines that may be made available under each type of premises licence:
Types of machines available by Premises Licence
| Premises type | Number of machines and category |
|---|
| Existing Casino |
20 Category B-D machines, or an unlimited number of Category C and D machines |
| Betting premises and tracks occupied by Pool Betting |
Maximum of 4 machines of Category B2, C or D |
| Bingo |
Unlimited category C and D machines and 8 B3 or B4 machines or 20% of the total number of gaming machines whichever is the greater* |
| Adult Gaming Centre |
Unlimited category C and D machines and 4 B3 or B4 machines or 20% of the total number of gaming
machines whichever is the greater* |
| Licensed Family Entertainment Centre |
Unlimited Category C and D machines
|
* From 1st April 2014 can have a maximum of 20% of the total number of gaming machines only (only applies to licences granted on or after 13th July 2011)
The following documents should accompany an application for a Premises Licence under the Gambling Act 2005:
- Application form
- Relevant fee
- Plan
Plan requirements
The scaled plan must show in all cases:
- The extent of the boundary or perimeter of the premises,
- Where the premises include or consist of one or more buildings, the location of any external or internal walls of each such building,
- Where the premises form part of a building, the location of any external or internal walls of the building which are included in the premises,
- Where the premises are a vessel, or part of a vessel, the location of any part of the sides of the vessel, and of any internal walls of the vessel which are included in the premises
- The location of each point of entry and exit from the premises, including in each case a description of the place from which entry is made or to which the exit leads
In addition (where relevant to the premises):
Bingo
- Location and extent of any part of the premises which will be used to provide facilities for gaming in reliance on the licence (other than those parts which include category B or C gaming machines)
- Location and extent of any part of the premises in which Category B or C machines will be made available for use
- Nature and location of any barrier or other thing separating any part of the premises in which category B or C machines will be made available for use from any other part of the premises
Licensed Family Entertainment Centre
- Location and extent of any part of the premises in which category C gaming machines will be made available
- Location and extent of any part of the premises in which Category D gaming machines will be made available
- Nature and location of any barrier or other thing separating any part of the premises in which Category C gaming machines will be made available for use from any other part of the premises
Adult Gaming Centre
- Location and extent of any part of the premises in which gaming machines will be made available
Betting
- Location and extent of any part of the premises which will be used to provide facilities for gambling in reliance on the licence
Track
- Location and extent of any part of the premises which is a five times rule* betting area
- Location and extent of any other parts of the premises which will be used for providing facilities for betting
- Location and extent of any parts of the premises in which Category B or C gaming machines will be made available
- Nature and location of any barrier or other thing separating any part of the premises in which Category B or C gaming machines will be made available for use from any other part of the premises.
*Five times betting area means any part of the track in respect of which in accordance with conditions attached under section 167, the charge for admission to that part of the track payable by betting operators may not exceed five times the cost of the highest charge paid by members of the public who are authorised to enter that part of the track.
Notice needs to be given to the Responsible Authorities when the application is being made using a template form provided by the Gambling Commission. This Notice must be sent by the applicant to all of the Responsible Authorities within 7 days starting on the date on which the application was made. Form A should be used where there is only one applicant, Form B should be used where there are two or more applicants.
Failure to give proper notice of application to a Responsible Authority will result in your application being rejected.
When applying for a Premises Licence you must advertise your application. The Gambling Commission provide a template form which can be used. The application must be advertised in both of the following two ways:
- In a local newspaper circulating within the area of the premises. This must be published on at least one occasion during the period of 10 working days starting with the day after the application is made to the licensing authority.
- By displaying a notice on the premises in a place at which it can conveniently be read by the public from the exterior of the premises for a period of no less than 28 consecutive days starting on the day on which the application is made to the licensing authority.
The local newspaper for Blackpool is the Blackpool Gazette
Address: 15 Olympic Court, Boardmans Way, Whitehills Business Park, Blackpool, FY4 5GU
Email: publicnotices@jpimedia.co.uk
Tel: 01253 400800
Please note
You should provide proof to the Licensing Service that the advertisement was correctly published. A copy of the newspaper with the published advert is best.
Site notices will be checked and photographed to ensure that the correct information and dates are displayed in the required format. If details are found to be incorrect, or notices inappropriately positioned or displayed, the Licensing Service may extend the time period for representations.
Gambling Premises Licence fees
| Premises Type | New application | Provisional statement | Annual fee | Variation | Transfer | Re-instatement | New (with Provisional Statement) | Copy of licence | Notification of change |
|---|
| Converted Casino |
N/A |
N/A |
£2375 |
£1830 |
£1135 |
£1290 |
N/A |
£20 |
£37 |
| Bingo |
£2940 |
£2940 |
£960 |
£1590 |
£960 |
£1010 |
£1100 |
£20 |
£37 |
| Adult Gaming Centre |
£1940 |
£1940 |
£960 |
£960 |
£960 |
£1080 |
£1080 |
£20 |
£37 |
| Family Entertainment Centre |
£1825 |
£1825 |
£750 |
£960 |
£910 |
£960 |
£960 |
£20 |
£37 |
| Track Betting |
£2275 |
£2275 |
£960 |
£1090 |
£910 |
£960 |
£960 |
£20 |
£37 |
| Betting Office |
£3000 |
£3000 |
£600 |
£1500 |
£1200 |
£1200 |
£1200 |
£20 |
£37 |