Adult Gaming Centres

Introduction

If you’re going to provide Category B machines, you’ll need:

• an operating licence from the Gambling Commission
• a adult gaming centre premises licence from us
• a personal licence from the Gambling Commission, unless you’re a small scale operator

Eligibility

You can apply for a adult gaming centre premises licence for any premises or vessel which is in a fixed location when you’re providing the activities the licence covers, including:

• vessels designed or adapted for use in, on or over water
• hovercrafts, as defined under the Hovercraft Act 1968

You can’t apply for an adult gaming centre premises licence for a vehicle.

Gaming machines

An adult gaming centre premises licence also allows you to provide Category B gaming machines on the premises, as long they make up no more than 20% of the total number of gaming machines.

The licence also allows you to provide any number of Category C or D gaming machines.

Conditions

Your licence may have certain conditions, including:

• providing door supervision
• making sure children and young people don’t have access to any Category B machines

You’ll need to keep your licence on the premises and present it to the police, an enforcement officer or authorised Council officer if they ask for it. If you don’t, you could receive a fine.

Duration

An adult gaming centre premises licence lasts until you either:

• die
• become incapable of carrying on licensed activities, in our opinion
• declare yourself bankrupt, go into liquidation or you’ve applied for debt relief order under Part 7A of the Insolvency Act 1986

If your licence lapses, you may apply to reinstate it within six months of it lapsing.

Fee

You must  pay:

• a fee to apply for an adult gaming centre premises licence
• an annual administration fee

Other considerations

You may have to pay Machine Games Duty (MGD).