UK Act of Parliament 2005 United Kingdom

Gambling Act 2005

View on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab) Ask Guv about this Act

At a glance

What's here

96 compliance obligations, 10 practical guides across 3 topics · 1 journey · 1 statutory instrument

Penalty landscape

21 of 96 obligations carry imprisonment (51 weeks). 39 carry different penalties and 36 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 50
  • Occupier 5
  • Licence Holder 4
  • Employer 4
  • Director or Officer 2
  • Applicant 1

Plus 30 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Direct — cites this Act

3 guides

Supporting — topic alignment

7 guides

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Occupiers also bound by 101 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Licence Holders also bound by 50 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Employers also bound by 171 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Directors and Officers also bound by 224 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Applicants also bound by 146 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part 1 — Interpretation of Key Concepts

Browse 19 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part 2 — The Gambling Commission

s.025

Guidance to local authorities

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Gambling Commission must issue and publish guidance for local authorities Statutory regulator
s.026

Duty to advise Secretary of State

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Gambling Commission must advise the Government on gambling trends and regulation Statutory regulator
s.029

Licensing authority information

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authorities must provide information to the Gambling Commission Local authority
Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part 3 — General offences

s.037

Use of premises

51 weeks imprisonment
  • Use premises for gambling without a licence Any Person
s.041

Gambling software

51 weeks imprisonment
  • Supply or install gambling software without a licence Any Person
s.042

Cheating

2 years imprisonment
  • Cheat at gambling or enable cheating Any Person
s.043

Chain-gift schemes

51 weeks imprisonment
  • Invite or manage a chain‑gift scheme Any Person
Browse 6 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part 4 — Protection of children and young persons

s.046

Invitation to gamble

2 years imprisonment
  • Invite a child or young person to gamble Any Person
s.048

Gambling

  • Young person gambling illegally Any Person
s.055

Employment in casino, &c.

51 weeks imprisonment
  • Employ a child or young person on licensed casino/betting premises Employer
s.062

Penalty

51 weeks imprisonment
  • Breach gambling licensing or other gambling offences Any Person
Browse 8 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part 5 — Operating Licences

s.074

Determination of application

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Gambling Commission must determine operating licence applications Statutory regulator
s.109

Conviction

Fine up to £500 Amended 1 time
  • Fail to notify the Gambling Commission of licence‑holder convictions Any Person
s.118

Reinstatement

Amended 3 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Gambling Commission must reinstate suspended operating licences when directed Statutory regulator
s.122

Information

Fine up to £500 Amended 1 time
  • Fail to comply with information request from Gambling Commission Any Person
Browse 31 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part 6 — Personal Licences

s.138

Conviction

Fine up to £500 Amended 2 times
  • Fail to notify Gambling Commission of a licence holder's conviction Any Person

Part 7 — Operating and Personal Licences: Appeals

Part 8 — Premises Licences

s.177

Credit

Fine up to £18,000,000 Amended 1 time
  • Do not provide or facilitate credit for gambling Licence Holder
s.190

Copy of licence

Amended 1 time
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authority must issue a copy of a lost or stolen licence Local authority
s.201

Review

Amended 1 time
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authority must review premises licences and hold hearings Local authority
s.203

Determination

Amended 1 time
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authority must notify all parties of gambling review decisions Local authority
s.205

Effect

Amended 1 time
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authority must limit grounds for objecting to a premises licence Local authority
s.210

Planning permission

Amended 1 time
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authorities must ignore planning status in gambling applications Local authority

Part 9 — Temporary Use of Premises

s.222

Hearing of objections

Amended 1 time
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Licensing authority must hold a hearing for contested temporary use notices Local authority

Part 10 — Gaming Machines

s.246

Penalty

51 weeks imprisonment Amended 1 time
  • Breach of regulations regarding gaming machines or credit Any Person

Part 11 — Lotteries

Part 12 — Clubs, pubs, fairs, &c.

s.275

Bingo

Fine up to £1,000 Amended 1 time
  • Fail to notify Gambling Commission of high‑turnover bingo Any Person
s.281

Bingo

Fine up to £1,000 Amended 1 time
  • Fail to notify Gambling Commission of high‑turnover bingo period Any Person

Part 13 — Prize Gaming

Part 14 — Private and Non-Commercial Gaming and Betting

Part 15 — Inspection

s.322

Information

Amended 1 time
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must regulate information provided by enforcement officers Crown / Minister / Government department

Part 16 — Advertising

s.329

Broadcasting

Amended 1 time
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must set and review gambling advertising standards Statutory regulator

Part 17 — Legality and Enforceability of Gambling Contracts

Part 18 — Miscellaneous and General

s.345

Forfeiture

51 weeks (6 months in Scotland) imprisonment Amended 2 times
  • Fail to comply with a forfeiture order Any Person
s.352

Wrongful disclosure

Amended 4 times
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Schedules

s.sch014

Prize Gaming Permits

Fine up to £500
  • Fail to produce prize gaming permit on request Occupier
Browse 13 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

Local Authority

Primary

Local Authority (Environmental Health / Licensing / Planning)

Local councils enforce food safety (via Environmental Health Officers), issue alcohol licences, grant planning permission, and regulate certain business activities at local …

Ofcom

Office of Communications

Regulates telecoms, TV, radio, video-on-demand, postal services, and online safety. Issues licences for telecoms providers, manages spectrum. Now enforces Online Safety Act …

Gambling Commission

Regulates gambling in Great Britain. Issues operating and premises licences. Protects vulnerable people and ensures fair gambling.

Connected legislation

1 statutory instrument

These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.

Explore more

Browse legislation

Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.

Regulators

Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.