Agenda item

The Committee were reminded of the statutory requirement to conduct a review of the Statement of Principles, as specified under the Gambling Act 2005, every three years. The Gambling Act 2005 placed the responsibility for the regulation of gambling on the Gambling Commission to regulate the operators of gambling premises and to issue codes of practice and guidance. The functions of the Council under the Act were outlined as:

• license premises for gambling activities;
• consider notices for temporary use of premises for gambling;

• grant permits for gaming and gaming machines in clubs and miners welfare institutes;
• regulate gaming and gaming machines in alcohol licensed premises;

• grant permits to family entertainment centres for the use of certain lower stake gaming machines;
• grant permits for prize gaming;
• consider occasional use notices for  betting at tracks; and
• register small society lotteries.

The Principal Licensing Officer informed Members that a consultation was conducted between 23^rd July 2021 and 3^rd September 2021. The consultation included a press release, information on the Council’s website, as well as with all elected members of the Council. One response to the consultation was received from Thames Valley Police, indicating that they had no objections to the draft Statement of Principles. 

Members discussed the revised Statement of Principles, noting that there were no significant changes from the previous statement. A number of questions including regulation and enforcement at premises and types of gaming machines and pay-outs were discussed; following which the Committee agreed to recommend the Statement of Principles Policy to Council for adoption.

Recommended to Council - That the Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Principles Policy (as amended 2021), as set out in Appendix A, is adopted as the Gambling Act Statement of Principles.