Gambling, lotteries and gaming machines

The Gambling Act 2005 received Royal Assent on 7 April 2005.

The Act replaces most of the existing law on gaming and introduces the Gambling Commission, an authority which will regulate the gambling industry. The Gambling Commission will also issue personal and operators licences.

Licensing authorities (the Council) will be responsible for:

• licensing premises for gambling activities

• considering notices given for the temporary use of premises for gambling;

• 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

• considering occasional use notices for betting at tracks and

• registering small societies lotteries.

Note: Premises include bingo halls, betting shops, amusement arcades and casinos.

The Act has three principal 'licensing 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 and

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

All councils must write and publish a 'Statement of Policy'. This statement is based on the above objectives and sets out how the law will be applied locally. Woking Borough Council's Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Policy was adopted on 14 December 2006.