Land-based Casino regulations come into force

The long-awaited reforms for land-based casinos come into force today (22nd July).

This will enable operators to apply to vary their premises licence to revise their layout plans to comply with the new Mandatory Conditions and to secure the extended gaming machine entitlement of up to 80 Category B gaming machines.    

Those casinos with a minimum gambling area of 280 sqm will be entitled to additional machines on a sliding scale in bands up to the maximum of 80 for those casinos with a minimum gambling area of 500 sqm but the actual number of machines that can be made available is dependent on the number of live gaming tables operated.

The ability to offer the sliding scale of betting positions is contingent on operators securing variations to their Operating Licences to add non-remote betting and apply for a new Remote Betting Operating Licence should they wish to install self-service terminals. 

Some operators already hold the requisite Operating Licences, but a number do not. This was flagged in the Gambling Commission’s initial guidance and has been repeated in the final version published and posted today.   

I will be publishing a more detailed summary of the changes, which has required complex revisions to the original 2006 Transitional Provisions Order in addition to revisions to the 2007 Mandatory and Default Conditions (England and Wales) Regulations.  

The reforms do not extend to Scotland as yet as Scottish Ministers would need to agree to progress similar secondary legislation. 

Click here to read my previous article about the changes to the regulations.