Betting licences

To operate a betting shop you will need:

• an operating licence, and any personal licences appropriate to your business, from the Gambling Commission
• a premises licence from us.

 Complete the gambling premises new application form and send this with the relevant payment.

The following forms can be used to help prepare your notice of application:

• Gambling notice of application for new premises licence form A - this is for an individual to send to the responsible authorities
• Gambling notice of application for new premises licence form B - this is for two or more individual applicants to send to the responsible authorities.
• Gambling notice of application form for new premises licence form- this is to be displayed on the premises.

The time taken to process an application depends on each individual application. The time period can range from a minimum of one month up to two months, but this could be longer if appeals are made following a committee hearing.

When an application is submitted, a 28 day statutory consultation period will follow. This allows time for local residents, businesses and responsible authorities to give their responses to the application - known as 'representations'. This is done by considering the three licensing objectives.

If you are posting the application forms, you are required to also serve a copy of the application, including the accompanying documentation, to the responsible authorities on the same day as the application is given to us. If the application is submitted electronically, we will provide copies to the responsible authorities. We can only accept applications for premises within our local authority area.

The Gambling Commission is responsible for regulating and issuing operator’s licences to bookmakers, betting agencies, totaliser operators and pool operators.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulates spread betting.

Children and young persons under 18 years old may not enter premises with a betting licence.

Casinos are able to provide facilities for betting but must obtain a separate betting operating licence. They do not need a separate premises licence.

The holder of a betting premises licence can have up to four gaming machines of category B2, B3, B4, C or D available for use.

Yes, it is classified as a gaming machine and must comply with the conditions and restrictions on the appropriate category of gaming machines.

No, they do not count towards the four gaming machines that may be made available and neither do they have to comply with limits on stakes or prizes.

Yes, we have the powers to restrict the number, their nature and the circumstances in which they are made available by attaching a condition to the premises licence. When attaching such a condition we will take into account:

• the size of the premises
• the number of counter positions available for personal transactions
• the ability of staff to monitor the machines use by children or young persons.

The only condition that applies to premises licences is the gambling hours, which are 7am to 10pm every day all year round.

Our licensing payments page explains what fees apply and how to pay them.

If you have paid by debit/credit card or by bacs before you have submitted your application form then you must include a copy of your receipt with the application. Any application received without the payment will not be processed.