Premises licences

Premises where gambling activities are provided must be authorised by a premises licence. This will include betting shops, bingo halls, sports grounds with betting kiosks, and amusement arcades.

Types of premises licence

We can issue five different categories of premises licence:

  • Adult gaming centres - amusement arcades making gaming machines available for use, accessible by over-18s only
  • Betting (at tracks) - areas at racecourses and sports grounds, at which licensed bookmakers will be taking bets on a race or sporting event happening at that location
  • Betting (at other premises) - premises away from tracks and sports grounds, such as a high street shop, at which a licensed bookmaker will be taking bets on races and sporting events happening elsewhere
  • Bingo - premises at which games of commercial prize bingo are regularly played
  • Family entertainment centres - amusement arcade premises making gaming machines available for use, open to persons of all ages

Each type of licence allows a particular combination of gambling activities, including the right to make a certain number of gaming machines available for use.

With the exception of betting (track) licences, premises licences may only be granted to persons or organisations that hold an appropriate operating licence, issued by the Gambling Commission.

There are currently no licensed casino premises in Dacorum, and we are not among the areas authorised by the Government to issue new casino licences.

Application process

The application process differs slightly for each type of application, and full details are given in the guidance notes attached to the application forms (below). An applicant will always be required to give notice of their application to several 'responsible authorities' (statutory bodies including the police and the Gambling Commission). For applications for new licences or variations of existing licences, applicants will also be required to advertise the application, both at the premises and in a local newspaper, to alert local residents and businesses.

Please see our applications forms section below for all relevant application forms and guidance notes.

From the day an application is made, there is a 28-day period during which any representations in respect of the application may be made by responsible authorities or interested parties, including local residents and businesses. Representations may support or oppose the application.

Details of any current applications are shown in our Current applications section below.

We will usually be able to confirm the grant or refusal of an application shortly after the end of this period. However, if representations have been received, or if it is intended to exclude default conditions or attach additional conditions, the application will usually be referred to a Licensing of Alcohol and Gambling Sub-Committee hearing to be decided.

Any licence granted will automatically be subject to a number of standard mandatory conditions, depending upon the type of licence. These conditions are set out in Regulations made by the Secretary of State. Licences may also be subject to a default condition restricting opening hours, unless the applicant requested that this was excluded. We can also impose further conditions, in response to any specific concerns.

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Reviews

We, along with other regulatory bodies, will use our powers to ensure that gambling premises operate in accordance with the law. However, there may be occasions when a problem exists that cannot be adequately resolved through mediation or enforcement. In these situations, a request may be made to review a licence.

Reviews can be initiated by any responsible authority, or by interested parties, such as local residents or businesses, by completing the prescribed review form, available from the application forms section above. Full guidance notes are provided with the application form.

We will advertise valid review applications, by putting details on our website, and by placing statutory notices at or near the premises for a 28-day period. Any other parties affected by the operation of a premises may also make written representations about the review in this period.

The review application will be considered at a public hearing by our Licensing of Alcohol and Gambling Sub-Committee. After considering the review and any representations, action can be taken to amend a licence (for example, by imposing further conditions), or to suspend or revoke it.

Provisional statements

Provisional statements are effectively a provisional premises licence, allowing an operator to assess the likelihood of obtaining a full licence before committing to the costs of developing a site. They can be obtained in situations where the premises have not yet been constructed or redeveloped, or where the operator does not yet have a right to occupy the premises.

Provisional statements do not in their own right allow gambling facilities to be provided - however, when a application is made for a premises licence for premises where a statement has previously been issued, we are obliged to disregard any representations received, so long as the details of the licence application are substantially the same as when the initial statement application was made.

Contact us

For further information about licences, or to discuss any particular issues, please email us at licensing@dacorum.gov.uk, or call 01442 228470 / 228860.

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Page Last Updated: Wednesday, 02 January 2019 at 01:33 PM