Gambling

St Albans District Council is the Licensing Authority under the provisions of the Gambling Act 2005 and responsible for the administration and enforcement of Premises Licences and Permits under the Act.

Under the Gambling Act 2005, the Local Authority must prepare a written Statement of Principles, and have regard to the guidance issued by the Gambling Commission. This Statement of Principles sets out how the council will carry out its licensing functions with a view to promoting the three licensing objectives:

• Preventing gambling 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

The Gambling Act contains provisions setting out the procedure for the authorisation of the use of premises for any of the following gambling activities:

• Bingo
• Betting shop
• Tracks (Race)
• Adult Gaming Centre (AGC)
• Family Entertainment Centre (FEC)
• Small Society Lotteries
• Casino Premises Licence
• Temporary Use Notices

and the use of gaming machines in conjunction the following permits:

• Club Gaming Permit
• Club Machine Permit
• Alcohol Licensed Premises (Gaming Permit)
• Unlicensed Family Entertainment Centre (uFEC)  

Gambling Statement of Principles

The Act requires the Council to publish its Statement of Principles every three years and carry out a consultation on those principles. The policy was last revised in 2022 and should be revised every 3 years.

A copy of the revised statement of principles can be found below.

• Gambling Policy 2025 to 2028 ( pdf - 900.86 KB )

The Gambling Commission’s 5th Edition of the Guidance recommends that Licensing Authorities complete their own assessment of local risks and concerns by developing local area profiles (LAPs) to help shape their statements.  Although there is no statutory requirement on the licensing authority to have LAP Guidance it is considered good practice.  Therefore St Albans District Council propose to use LAP Guidance.  This means that anyone wanting to operate in the District will need to consider the local area profile when making their application.
As we have very few gambling premises in the District, we have kept the LAP Guidance simple.  In the two page Guidance (attached) we set out what we expect operators who want to run gambling premises in our District to include in their applications. The Local Area Profile can be found in the policy as appendix A.

• Gambling Act 2005 - LAPs Guidance (PDF - 172 kb)

If you would like to apply for a premises licence, the application forms are below.

• application for a premises licence under the GA05 (standard form).pdf (PDF - 27 kb)
• application for a premises licence under the GA05 (transitional conversion application).pdf (PDF - 29 kb)
• application for a provisional statement under the GA05 (standard form) (PDF - 28 kb)
• notice of application for a provisional statement (form a) (PDF - 10 kb)
• notice of application for a provisional statement (form b) (PDF - 12 kb)
• notice of application for a premises licence under GA05 (PDF - 16 kb)
• notice of application for a premises licence (form a) (PDF - 10 kb)
• notice of application for a premises licence (form b) (PDF - 12 kb)

For a list of Responsible Authorities, please download the document below: 

• Responsible Authorities.pdf (PDF - 147 kb)

The Government reformed the law on gambling; under the Gambling Act 2005 local authorities have a range of new responsibilities related to gambling.

These include licensing any premises used for gambling, regulating the use of gaming machines and the playing of games such as poker in pubs and clubs, and granting permits to certain types of amusement arcades.  The Gambling Commission is responsible for advising local authorities on these functions.

The Gambling Act 2005 introduces permits for gambling which are granted by the Council. These permits will be required when premises provide a gambling facility but gambling is not the main function of the premises. These permits regulate the use of gaming machines in specific premises.

Who can apply for a gaming machine permit?

Premises licensed under the Licensing Act 2003 for consumption of alcohol on the premises, which provide alcohol without a condition that alcohol is served only with food can apply for a gaming machine permit.

What am I entitled to?

For these premises there is an automatic entitlement to two machines of category C or D under the Act subject to:

• notifying the licensing authority in writing of your wish to use this entitlement,
• paying the prescribed fee of £50
• complying with any relevant code of practice issued by the Gambling Commission.

There is no annual fee.  However, when the alcohol premises licence is transferred to a new owner, then a new written notification is necessary together with a further £50 fee.

Is there an annual fee?

There is an annual fee of £50 for more than two machines, but not for two or less machines.

Can I have more than two machines?

Applications can be made for a licensed premises gaming machines permit, which allows for further category C or D machines to be made available in alcohol licensed premises.  The limit of additional machines will be determined by the Licensing Team  for up to three machines and a sub committee for more than three machines.

What are the fees for two or more machines?

How long does the permit last?

The permit application and notification must be made in the premises licence holders name and last as long as premises licence remains in that name. The permit is subject to an annual fee.

Can I have machines in a takeaway/taxi office/shop/café or similar?

From 1 August 2006, fruit machines began to be phased out from premises whose main purpose is not the sale/supply of alcohol. This is to ensure that children and other vulnerable people are not exposed to gambling in certain non-gambling premises

How do I Apply?

Send a copy of the application form below, along with the fee to the Licensing Team in Regulatory Services.
St Albans District Council, Civic Centre, St Albans, Herts AL1 3JE
Tel: 01727 819454 Email: licensing@stalbans.gov.uk

• Application Gaming Permit ( pdf - 148.82 KB )

The following information is relevant to:

• holders of Club Premises Certificates under the Licensing Act 2003
• persons who are considering setting up a club and also offering gaming or gaming machines to members of that club

There are two kinds of club permits under the Gambling Act 2005; Club Gaming Permits and Club Machine Permits:

Club Gaming Permits

Club gaming permits may be granted to members' clubs and miners' welfare institutes (but not commercial clubs), to authorise the use of up to 3 machines in total including category B3A, B4, C or D gaming machines.  However they can only include one B3A machine. They can also carry out  equal chance gaming and games of chance as described in the Gambling Commission Guidance.

Applicants must have an operators licence issued by the Gambling Commisson 

The permit costs £200.00 and will have effect for 10 years and may then be renewed. There is an annual fee of £50.
The application form can be downloaded below, a copy of this application must be sent to the Gambling Commission 

Club Machine Permits

If a club does not wish to have a club gaming permit or if they are a commercial club not permitted to provide non-machine gaming, they may apply for a club machine permit.  This authorises the use of up to three category B4, C or D gaming machines.

The permit costs £200.00 and will have effect for 10 years and may then be renewed. There is an annual fee of £50.

Holders of club gaming permits or club machine permits should have regard to the Code of Practice issued by the Gambling Commission. The Code of Practice makes reference to conditions for the location and operation of machines and also best practice for self exclusion and for access to gambling by children and young persons.

How do I apply?

Send a copy of the application form below, along with the fee to the Licensing Team in Regulatory Services.
St Albans District Council, Civic Centre, St Albans, Herts AL1 3JE
Tel: 01727 819454 Email: licensing@stalbans.gov.uk

• Club Gaming or Machine Permit ( pdf - 32.33 KB )

Small Society Lottery Registration - New Registrations

If you wish to apply to operate a Small Society Lottery you must register under the Gambling Act 2005 with the District Council.  The society must pay a fee for any new application of £40 and the annual fee yearly of £20 if you wish the registration to continue.

Society Lottery

Section 19 of the Act defines a society as non-commercial if it is established and conducted

• for charitable purposes
• for the purpose of enabling participation in, or in supporting, sport, athletics or a cultural activity, or
• for any other non-commercial purpose other than that of private gain.

Small Lottery

The proceeds from one lottery must not exceed £20,000 or the total income from all the lotteries run by the organisation must not exceed £250,000 in a calendar year. If the operator plans to exceed these values they will be classified as a large lottery and must be licensed by the Gambling Commission.

Limits placed on small society lotteries

The limits are as follows:

• at least 20% of the lottery proceeds must be applied to the purposes of the society (schedule 11, paragraph 33)
• no single prize may be worth more than £25,000 (schedule 11, paragraph 34)
• rollovers between lotteries are only permitted where every lottery affected is also a small society lottery promoted by the same society, and the maximum single prize is £25,000 (schedule 11, paragraph 35), and
• every ticket in the lottery must cost the same and the ticket fee must be paid to the society (i.e. the society must take payment) before entry into the draw is allowed. (schedule 11, paragraph 37).

Registration

The promoting society of a small society lottery must, throughout the period during which the lottery is promoted, be registered with the local authority. The form to register a non-commercial society is below.

Returns

There is a requirement to provide annual returns to the Licensing Team, please see below.

Some other activities such as raffles and sweepstakes are lotteries but they will be exempt providing they comply with the criteria, the links below provide some more information: 

• Sweepstakes 
• Lotteries
• Small Society Lotteries

• Application for Small Lotteries ( pdf - 50.61 KB )
• Returns Form ( pdf - 45.81 KB )

Please visit the Public Register Of Licences And Registrations

If you are unable to find the information you are looking for on the public register please send your request to   licensing@stalbans.gov.uk