Statement of Licensing Policy under The Gambling Act 2005 Consultation

Overview

We are seeking views on the draft Statement of Licensing Policy and Principles under the Gambling Act 2005 as we update our policy which sets out how we regulate and licence businesses. This includes those that offer:

• Betting - making or accepting a bet on the outcome of a race, competition, or any other event;

• Bingo - including cash and prize bingo;

• Use of gaming machines in gaming centres and amusement arcades, pubs and clubs; and

• Lotteries, raffles and prize draws where you pay in order to take place in a prize draw.

The draft Statement of Licensing Policy and Principles (link to the full document can be found at the bottom of this page) sets out the way the Council proposes to carry out its licensing responsibilities, such as considering licence and permit applications from businesses.

The Statement of Licensing Policy and Principles guides the administration of licensing under the Gambling Act 2005 and will assist in ensuring that an appropriate balance is drawn between the interests of those wishing to provide and take part in legal gambling and those who might be adversely affected by such activities.

The Council continues to work with the Police, licence holders, and other agencies to achieve this objective. It will also ensure that there are methods for appropriate enforcement should operators fail to uphold the standards expected of them.

Why your views matter

Our proposed Statement of Licensing Policy and Principles will run from January 2022. It will set out how the Council will promote the three licensing objectives:

• ensuring gambling is kept free from crime and disorder

• ensuring gambling is conducted in a fair and open way

• protection of children and vulnerable adults.

This statement sets out the general approach to the making of licensing decisions. The Council has adopted a no casino policy which is included in the statement of policy and principles.

In addition, we have published a Local Area Profile highlighting the key characteristics for consideration by operators when completing applications and their local area risk assessments. The link to the Local Area Profile document can be found at the bottom of this page.

The Local Authority acting as the Licensing Authority are responsible for licensing physical premises and locations where gambling takes place. We also provide authorisations to gamble in premises where gambling is not the main activity (for example gaming machines in pubs). 

There are exceptions to this. We are not responsible for the National Lottery. We are also not responsible for any form of online gambling. These activities are regulated by the Gambling Commission. 

Proposed changes to the policy:

It is not proposed to make any major changes to the current Licensing Policy which was altered substantially before publication in 2019. A revised Licensing Policy has been prepared in consideration of the Gambling Commission’s Guidance to Licensing Authorities and taking into account issues and concerns that have arisen over the life of the current policy.

The consultation period will run for 8 weeks closing on 6 September 2021. The draft Statement of Licensing Policy can be found at the bottom of this page. 

We understand that this is not an ideal time to carry out a consultation on something this important. However, we are required to abide by the timelines set out in the legislation.

For more information on how Sutton processes your personal information please visit our Privacy Notice (opens in a new window).  Any comments you make may be made public on the Council's website however we will remove any personally identifiable information.