A premises licence is required where gambling facilities are to be provided. Types of premises include, bingo halls, casinos, betting shops and arcades (adult gaming centres, family entertainment centres).
Before you start
You must hold an operating licence or have an application for one in progress before you can apply for a gambling premises licence.
Operating licences are issued by the Gambling Commission.
If the premises are not yet built or you don't have the right to occupy them, you can apply for a provisional statement.
Who can apply?
You must:
- be over 18 years old
- have the right to occupy the premises
How much it costs
The application fee depends on the type of premises and whether a provisional statement has already been issued.
| Type of premises | Full licence application | Application where provisional statement is in place | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional casino | £15,000 | £8,000 | £15,000 |
| Large casino | £10,000 | £8,000 | £10,000 |
| Small casino | £8,000 | £3,000 | £5,000 |
| Bingo premises | £3,500 | £1,200 | £1,000 |
| Adult gaming centre | £2,000 | £1,200 | £1,000 |
| Track betting | £2,500 | £950 | £1,000 |
| Betting (other) | £3,000 | £1,200 | £600 |
| Family entertainment centre | £2,000 | £950 | £750 |
Licence duration
A licence remains in effect until it is revoked or surrendered. You must pay an annual fee to keep the licence valid. The first annual fee is due 30 days after the licence is issued.
How to apply
You will need to
Log into your MyAccount (or create an account if you don't already have one) to complete the form. MyAccount is an easier and quicker way to interact with us and is available 24/7
- complete the application form
- upload supporting documents
- pay the appropriate fee.
Apply for a gambling premises licence
Advertising your application
You'll need to:
- Display a notice of application at the premises for at least 28 consecutive days starting with the day the application was made.
- Publish a notice of application in a local newspaper within 10 working days of making your application
Notice of Gambling Premises licence application for publication/site - Send copies of your notice to all the gambling responsible authorities.
Notice to responsible authorities of application for a premises licence (individual applicant)
Notice to responsible authorities of application for a premises licence (more than one applicant)
This gives residents, businesses and responsible authorities the opportunity to read your proposal and make representations if they wish.
If a provisional statement has been issued, the circumstances under which representations are accepted are limited. Representations will be disregarded if they relate to matters that could have been addressed during the application process for a provisional statement.
What happens next?
If there are no representations at the end of the 28 day representation period, we will issue your licence within 5 working days.
If there are representations, the Licensing Sub-Committee will hold a hearing at which all parties will be invited to attend. At the hearing, the committee will decide whether to grant or reject your application.
We will write to confirm the decision and tell you what you can do if you wish to appeal.