Betting and Gaming Licensing

The type of licence you’ll need depends on the type of gambling you want to provide. A licence is required for each separate activity. If you wish to provide gambling at a physical premises, you'll also need a premises licence from the Local Authority in which the premises are located.

Once you’ve spoken to us about your business and the type of gambling facilities you wish to offer, we’ll advise you on which licence(s) you’ll need.

If you intend to acquire physical business premises and wish to provide land-based gambling, you’ll need one of the following gambling premises licences:

• Converted Casino premises licence (new applications can’t be made for this kind of licence)
• Bingo premises licence
• Betting premises licence
• Adult gaming centre premises licence, allowing the use of Category B and C gaming machines
• Family entertainment centre premises licence, allowing the use of Category C gaming machines.

If you wish to operate an online gambling business for customers in Great Britain, you’ll need a remote operating licence. Depending on how your gambling software/games are sourced you may well require a gambling software licence. If the software/hosting arrangements are provided by a third party, you'll need to ensure that company is appropriately licensed by the Gambling Commission.

Personal Management Licences (PML) are also required by the holders of senior management posts authorising the performance of the following management functions:

• Overall management and direction of the licensee’s business or affairs
• The finance function as head of that function
• Regulatory compliance as head of that function
• Marketing and commercial development as head of that function
• Gambling related IT and security as head of that function.

For land-based gambling, these additional individuals require a PML:

• The individual with oversight of multiple licensed premises
• In the case of casinos and bingo premises the manager of those premises.

The Gambling Commission is also consulting on extending the requirement to hold a PML to the following:

• Acting as the Nominated Officer (Money Laundering Reporting Officer)
• CEO of a company
• Chairman of the Board.

We’re experts in the application process for operating licences, PMLs, and gambling premises licences. We know how to help you meet your objectives.

The normal processing period for a Gambling Commission licence is currently about six months (the Commission’s website explains why applications are taking longer to process). However, it could be considerably longer.

If you choose us to apply on your behalf, we’ll work with you to ensure the information provided is accurate, complete, and up to date. This means the application will be processed as quickly as possible. It also has the best chance of being granted.

The application fees payable to the Gambling Commission vary depending on:

• The types of gambling you wish to offer
• Whether you will be offering online or land-based gambling
• The expected revenues from the activities (known as gross gambling yield).

You can find out exactly how much your gambling licence will cost by completing the Gambling Commission’s operating licence fee calculator.

The application fees you need to pay a Licensing Authority for a premises licence application vary by sector. They’re capped by regulations but are currently under review.

Annual fees are payable to both the Gambling Commission and, where land-based licences are held, the Licensing Authority.

Licensing Authorities must include costs of enforcement in their annual fees. The Commission factor into their annual fees costs of compliance and enforcement.

For your gambling licence application to be approved, you need a comprehensive business plan. Presenting the Gambling Commission with a well-thought-out plan will show that you’re aware of your goals and how to achieve them.

You’ll also need to demonstrate that you’ve taken responsible gambling into consideration. This includes putting customer protection practices in place. Strategies to protect against money laundering and fraud are also vital. They require a risk assessment of your business, and policies and controls to mitigate any risks.

We have vast experience in helping clients create a comprehensive application. Before submitting your application, we will ensure all the bases are covered to give you the best chance of being approved for a licence.

We can help both remote (mostly online) and non-remote (premises-based) businesses with all aspects of gaming and betting licensing.

Areas that we can help you with include:

• All remote and non-remote operating licence applications submitted to the Gambling Commission
• All areas of the application process including the critical business plan and advising on all requisite policies and procedures demonstrating compliance with all Commission requirements
• Liaising with the Gambling Commission to make your application process as smooth as possible
• Premises licence applications to local authorities including pre-application consultation
• Personal Management Licence and Annex A applications
• Regulatory panel hearings if the application is referred to the Panel for a decision.

The following issues won’t necessarily impact you, but if needed, we can also advise you on:

• Restructuring of gambling businesses including change of corporate control
• Gambling Commission information requests and investigations
• Reporting of key events to the Gambling Commission
• Transaction due diligence
• Investor due diligence
• Acquisitions and disposals
• Cease and desist letters issued by the Gambling Commission in relation to unauthorised gambling
• Working with international law firms to provide advice on overseas gambling markets.

The application fees payable to the Gambling Commission vary depending on:

• The types of gambling you wish to offer
• Whether you will be offering online or land-based gambling
• The expected revenues from the activities (known as gross gambling yield).

You can find out exactly how much your gambling licence will cost by completing the Gambling Commission’s operating licence fee calculator.

Below are a few examples the Gambling Licence team’s work:

• Acting for an international operator in securing the variation of the casino licence for the Ritz casino
• Acting for a global gaming machine supplier in providing regulatory advice
• Advising not for profit organisations on prize competitions
• Providing letters of advice to payment service providers on the legality of gambling-related platforms
• Engaging with the Gambling Commission following the issuing of a cease-and-desist letter to a cryptocurrency news platform
• Defending a licensed operator facing a criminal investigation for alleged breaches of the Gambling Act 2005
• Advising a global investment business on a change of corporate control notification to the Gambling Commission.