Summary
This page contains consultation documents and information on the Gambling Act 2005 (the Act). The Act transfers the responsibility for licensing premises used for gambling from the magistrates to licensing authorities.
Attachments
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Functions of the Licensing Authority
Our main function will be issuing Premises Licences for casinos, betting offices and race tracks, bingo clubs, adult gaming centres and family entertainment centres. We will also issue permits for gaming machines in members only clubs and licensed premises, prize gaming and unlicensed family entertainment centres.
We also have responsibility for monitoring and enforcing the licences and permits we issue, to accord with the following three new licensing objectives as specified in the Gambling Act 2005 (the Act):-
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preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder, or being used to support crime,
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ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way,
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protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or expolited by gambling.
The Gambling Commission| [external link] has recently provided its guidance to us and all other licensing authorities enabling us to develop our licensing policy in readiness for applications being submitted to us in early 2007. The new licences will then come into effect on 1 September 2007.
It is anticipated that the Leicestershire Officers' Forum, in conjunction with Leicestershire Police, Leicestershire and Rutland Fire and Rescue Service and other statutory authorities designated under the Act, will work to develop a generic licensing policy for Leicestershire along similar lines to the Leicestershire authorities' policies under the Licensing Act 2003|. This will provide scope for an individual authority's policies to reflect local needs and circumstances.
For further information please contact the Licensing Section.|