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Update from Gambling Commission LA Bulletin Published Date: 21/07/2024

Updates from July 2024 Gambling Commission bulletin for licensing authorities.

Pub lotteries
The Commission has received an increase in the number of enquiries relating to pubs and the way they have organised lotteries and raffles. Whilst our lotteries toolkit provides comprehensive advice, the following is particularly relevant.

“A customer lottery or raffle cannot make a profit so is not suitable for fundraising. All of the money collected through ticket sales must be used to pay for the prizes and any expenses incurred organising the lottery.

A customer lottery can only be run by a business for its customers at the time they are on the business premises.

  • Tickets must not be sold to children under 16 years of age.
  • No prize can be more than £50 in value.
  • No rollover of prizes from one lottery to another is permitted.
  • Only one lottery draw is permitted in each period of seven days.
  • Tickets must show the name and address of the organiser, the ticket price, any restrictions as to who may or may not buy a ticket, and state that the rights created by the ticket are non-transferable.”

Aston University and Birmingham City Council report of gambling harms, risk and social housing tenants

In a report and piece of research covering 2 years of work, the University and Birmingham City Council have now published their findings. The headline being that it found evidence that ‘problem gamblers are twice as likely (4 in 10) to be in significant rent arrears than other BCC tenants who gamble (at 2 in 10), but that harmful gambling is a hidden and stigmatised issue and one which tenants are unlikely to disclose to their landlord.’

Upcoming regulatory changes for land-based operators

A reminder of the requirement for smaller operators to conduct test purchasing as part of controls to prevent underage gambling, alongside an amended (good practice) code.

Pubs age verification testing failures in South Derbyshire

Following an underage test purchase operation run by South Derbyshire District Council in conjunction with the police, 6 pubs have been issued a warning and advice. This highlights the ongoing need for Licensing Teams/Trading Standards to test the effectiveness of the sector in preventing under 18s accessing Cat C machines. Under 18s accessing these machines constitutes an offence.

The Commission would be grateful to be updated as to results at GC Local Authority.

Compliance cases

The Commission have been in discussion with 2 licensing authorities recently regarding compliance issues.

Firstly, one who checked our Operator Register to discover as to whether the business was correctly licensed by us in order to be granted a gambling premises licence. This is an essential check when receiving an application. The Commission has now been able to provide appropriate intelligence as to the company concerned.

Secondly - and although not frequent - a recurring theme of gambling premises handing out leaflets to promote their premises. The risk being that an offence may be committed as per section 46 and section 47 of the Gambling Act 2005.

Useful links and resources

Some quick guides are designed to give to operators when undertaking visits, others provide an accessible ‘how to’ for licensing staff: