These requirements apply to all business activities in this division.
licensing
Great_Britain
Ongoing
Gambling Commission operating licence
Enforced by:
GAMBLING_COMMISSION
Gambling Act 2005
Anyone providing facilities for gambling in the course of a business must hold an operating licence from the Gambling Commission — a remote licence for online/telephone provision, a non-remote licence for premises-based provision, or both. Separate licence types cover betting, casino, bingo, gaming machines, gambling software and lotteries. Northern Ireland is outside the Gambling Act 2005 (betting and gaming there is licensed under the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (NI) Order 1985).
licensing
Great_Britain
Ongoing
Personal management / functional licences
Enforced by:
GAMBLING_COMMISSION
Gambling Act 2005
Individuals performing specified management functions for a licensed operator must hold a personal management licence (PML); those performing certain operational functions need a personal functional licence (PFL). Holders are subject to fit-and-proper assessment and ongoing reporting of changes to the Gambling Commission.
compliance
Great_Britain
Ongoing
Licence conditions and codes of practice (LCCP) — social responsibility
Enforced by:
GAMBLING_COMMISSION
Gambling Act 2005
Operating licences carry the Gambling Commission's Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP), made under the Gambling Act 2005, covering the licensing objectives: keeping gambling crime-free, fair and open, and protecting children and vulnerable people. Social-responsibility code provisions (age verification, self-exclusion, customer interaction, safer-gambling messaging) are mandatory licence conditions and breach can lead to financial penalties or licence review.
compliance
Great_Britain
Ongoing
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 — general duties
Enforced by:
HSE
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
General duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of employees and members of the public on gambling premises and in offices.
insurance
Great_Britain
Annual
Employers' Liability Insurance
Enforced by:
HSE
Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969
Compulsory for any business employing at least one person.
registration
Uk
Annual
UK GDPR + Data Protection Act 2018
Enforced by:
ICO
Data Protection Act 2018; UK GDPR (retained EU law)
Gambling operators process extensive personal data (customer identity, age and affordability verification, transaction history). ICO registration unless specifically exempt.
compliance
Great_Britain
Ongoing
Equality Act 2010 — protected characteristics
Enforced by:
EHRC
Equality Act 2010
No discrimination, harassment or victimisation across the protected characteristics in employment or in services provided to the public on premises and online.
compliance
England_Wales
Ongoing
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Enforced by:
LOCAL_FIRE_AUTHORITY
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
The 'responsible person' for any gambling premises (betting shop, casino, bingo hall, arcade) must carry out and maintain a fire risk assessment. Devolved variants: Fire (Scotland) Act 2005; Fire and Rescue Services (NI) Order 2006.
reporting
Uk
Periodic
Gambling duties (HMRC)
Enforced by:
HMRC
Betting and Gaming Duties Act 1981; Finance Act 2014
Gambling operators must register with HMRC for the relevant gambling duty and file returns: General Betting Duty, Pool Betting Duty and Remote Gaming Duty (Finance Act 2014, Part 3), Gaming Duty, Machine Games Duty, Lottery Duty and Bingo Duty (Betting and Gaming Duties Act 1981 and later Finance Acts). Duty is charged on profits/stakes depending on the activity; this is separate from the Gambling Commission licensing regime.