Gambling Act 2005 Licences

Licence Summary

The Gambling Act 2005 consolidates and repeals the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1863, The Gaming Act 1968 and the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976.

The Act introduced a new regulator – the Gambling Commission, which regulates gambling in the public interest. The Commission is responsible for issuing Operator Licences and Personal Licences.

Under the Act, Stockton Council is responsible for issuing a range of licenses, permits and notices detailed in the Application Process section below.

Regulation Summary

Copies of the Gambling Act 2005 and details of the various sets of Gambling Act Regulations can be found on the legislation.gov.uk website.

Consultation

Gambling Policy Consultation

Gambling has changed in recent years, traditional methods such as betting shops are being replaced with online gambling.

The Gambling Commission regulate online gambling.

The council recognises we have a role to play in minimizing the harmful effects of gambling and produce a Gambling act 2003 Statement of Principles, commonly known as the Gambling Policy. We review this policy every 3 years.

There are few changes as there have been no legislative changes in the last three years. We will introduce the revived Gambling Policy in 2022.

View the Draft Gambling Policy.

Any changes or additional information is indicated in red. Please read the document and let us hear your views at [email protected].

Public Consultation will close on Sunday 7 November 2021.

If you need information, advice or support for anyone harmed by gambling contact GamCare free on 0808 820 133 24 hours a day 7 days a week or visit the GamCare website.

Application Process

See our Licensing Fees and Charges webpage for a full list of application fees.

Stockton Council is responsible for issuing the following licences, permits and notices:

The type of establishments requiring Premises Licences from the Council are:

• Bingo Halls

• Casinos

• Betting Offices

• Adult Gaming Centres

• Family Entertainment Centres

In addition to issuing Premises Licences, the Council also issues permits. These are required when premises provide a gambling facility where, both the stakes and prizes are very low or gambling is not the main function of the premises. Examples of such permits are:

• Family Entertainment Centre Gaming Machine Permits

• Club Gaming Permits

• Club Machine Permits

• Licensed Premises Gaming Machine Permit

• Prize Gaming Permits

The final area of responsibility for the Council relates to the provision of:

• Occasional Use Notices (betting on a ‘track’ on 8 days or less in a calendar year)
• Temporary Use Notices (where there is no Premises Licence, but where a gambling operator wishes to use the premises temporarily for providing gambling facilities)

The Gambling Act 2005 contains three licensing objectives:

• To prevent gambling from being a source of crime and disorder.

• To ensure that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way.

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

Further details of how the Council will fulfil it's licensing duties are contained in the Council's Statement of Licensing Principles.

Applicants may have a duty to notify the various responsible authorities of their application, please download details of the responsible authorities in Stockton. Licenses are usually subject to a 28 day statutory consultation period, after which they can be granted if there are no objections.

Contact us about a gambling licence

How To Apply

To apply for a Licence or Permit please complete the appropriate form(s) below.

Application For A Gaming Permit Or Notification Of 2 Or Less Machines

Application For A Club Gaming Permit Or Club Machine Permit

Small Society Lottery Change of Details

Society Return Form

Application For Registration of Non-Commercial Society Lottery

Contact us about a small society lottery

Guidance Notes

To view guidance documents please select the appropriate link below:

Contact Details For Responsible Authorities

Gambling Policy Statement 2019

Guidance Publications From The Gambling Commission (link to external site)

Lotteries & The Law - Advice For Societies

Guidance On Completing A Small Lottery Return

Will Tacit Consent Apply?

Tacit consent means that if we have not dealt with applications within the target period then the application can be deemed to have been granted/approved.

Please note that tacit consent does not apply in respect of these applications. It is in the public interest that the authority must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from the local authority within a reasonable period, please contact us.

Licence Holder Redress

Any applicant who is refused a licence can appeal to their local Magistrates Court. Please contact us in the first instance.

Any licence holder who wishes to appeal against a condition attached to their licence can appeal to their local Magistrates Court.

Consumer Complaint

We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you, preferably in the form of a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK, visit our Consumer pages or Gov.uk for advice.