Gambling policy Part B

The Council notes that the Gambling Commission’s Guidance (5th Edition) states at paragraph18.5: “The Licensing Authority will need to satisfy itself that bingo can be played in any bingo premises for which they issue a premises licence. An operator may choose to vary their licence to exclude a previously licensed area of that premises, and then apply for a new premises licence, or multiple new premises licences , with the aim of creating separate premises in that area. Essentially providing multiple licensed premises within a single building or site. Before issuing additional bingo premises licences, licensing authorities need to consider whether bingo can be played at each of those new premises.”

Section 172(7) provides that the holder of a bingo premises licence may make available for use a number of category B gaming machines not exceeding 20% of the total number of gaming machines which are available for use on the premises.

Premises in existence before 13 July 2011 are entitled to make available eight category B gaming machines, or 20% of the total number of gaming machines, whichever is the greater. from 1 April 2014 these premises will be entitled to 20% of the total number of gaming machines only. Regulations state that category B machines at bingo premises should be restricted to subcategory B3 and B4 machines, but not B3A lottery machines. This authority also notes the Guidance at paragraph 18.9 that the gaming machines must remain within the licensed area covered by the premises licence. In the unusual circumstance that an existing bingo premises covered by one premises licence applies to vary the licence and acquire additional bingo premises licences (so that the area that was the subject of a single licence will become divided between a number of separate licensed premises) it is not permissible for all of the gaming machines to which each of the licences brings an entitlement to be grouped together within one of the licensed premises.

Also at paragraph 18.7 the Guidance states that children and young people are allowed into bingo premises; however they are not permitted to participate in the bingo and if category B or C machines are made available for use these must be separated from areas where children and young people are allowed.