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| Latest Gambling Law News - updated June 21st 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The following are updates from the Gambling Commission. For further information on any of the following please contact Simon Halberstam on 020 7264 4500 or at simonh@sghlaw.com June 2009 DCMS announces new voluntary deal to fund problem gambling research, education and treatment On 9 June Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe announced a new voluntary funding arrangement to bring in at least £15 million over the next three years for the research, education and treatment of problem gambling. Further details have been published in a press release from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. Changing stake and prize limits for category C and certain types of category D gaming machines A statutory instrument increasing the stake and prize limits for category C gaming machines and category D ‘crane grab’ and ‘coin pusher’ machines came into force on 10 June 2009. The Categories of Gaming Machine (Amendment) Regulations 2009 increases the maximum stake and prize limits for category C gaming machines to £1 and £70 respectively. It also increases the maximum stake and prize value for ‘crane grab’ type machines to £1 and £50, and implements a new maximum prize value for ‘coin pusher’ type machines of £15 (of which a maximum of £8 can be cash). Gaming machine standards - supplement 2 The Commission has published Gaming machine standards supplement 2, which sets out changes to Machine Standards category C and complex category D regarding the speed of play and game links for category C machines This supplement has been notified to the European Commission (EC) and came into force on 12 June. The supplement sets out the new standards applicable to category C machines operating with a £1 stake and £70 prize (see above). It does not apply to pre-existing gaming machines retaining a 50p stake and £35 prize. A consultation responses document summarising the responses made and explaining the Commission's position has also been published. Consultation on proposals for Gambling Commission fees from 1 August 2009 closes soon Qualitative follow-up of the British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007 This exploratory study aims to provide further insight into participants' gambling behaviour, exploring how and when the participants gamble, and what they enjoy about it. It also looked to explore the downsides of gambling, and where problem gambling behaviour is currently (or has been) an issue for participants, to investigate the causes and associated factors.
A statutory instrument changing the limits for prize gaming limits came into force on 11 June. The Gambling Act 2005 (Limits on Prize Gaming) Regulations 2009 increase from 50p to £1 the maximum participation fee that may be charged for any one chance to win a prize in a game. The regulations also impose new limits on the amount or value of prizes for which games may be played. These are now set at £70 for any one game and £500 for an aggregate of all the games. Read the statutory instrument… Casino gaming reserve consultation responses The Commission has recently published the responses document to the casino gaming reserve consultation. The consultation set out a revised formula for calculating the casino gaming reserve and proposed additional text setting out a requirement for a repayment provision. The Commission has produced concurrently Licence Conditions and Code of Practice Supplement 6: Casino gaming reserve, which sets out the final specification of the revised licence condition. The new licence condition will take effect from 1 July 2009. All licensees affected by the changes will be issued with revised licences. Casino monthly census form – reporting requirement removed from the majority of casino premises Casinos in permitted areas without outstanding applications under the Gaming Act 1968 will no longer be required to submit a monthly census form. The form includes information on game play during the first full weekend of each month and at peak periods along with the number of tables made available for use. All casino operators must continue to supply monthly information on drop, win and attendance. The Commission has published a list of key characteristics for bingo machines, as a result of discussions with a number of gaming machine manufacturers who are developing new machines. Machines that play bingo are exempt from limits on numbers, and stakes and prizes, but the concern was that some of these bingo machines may not differentiate significantly from gaming machines. We are content to provide the industry with an opportunity to comply with the arrangements set out in this document on a voluntary basis. However, if this does not prove possible, we will consider a more formal regulatory route. Casino gaming reserve consultation The casino gaming reserve consultation, which outlines proposed changes to casino operators’ reserve requirements, opened on 22 May. This consultation is due to close on Friday 12 June. Please use the responses template provided to set out your reply. Statutory instrument on changing prize gaming limits A statutory instrument on changing prize gaming limits was laid before Parliament on 20 May 2009 (Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Gambling Act 2005 (Limits on Prize Gaming) Regulations 2009). Annual fees deadlines coming up Operators whose licence was granted on 1 September 2007 will be required to pay their next annual fee by 31 August 2009 at the latest. We will be sending out letters to all our licence holders in due course, saying when their annual fee is due, how much and how to pay. If a licence holder needs to update their details before then, or anything about their business has changed, please let us know through our notification of change or application to vary a licence forms. Section 19 certificate holders face August deadline for personal licence application The Commission is reminding employees in the casino and bingo industry who still hold certificates of approval, issued under section 19 of the Gaming Act 1968 (section 19 certificates), to apply for their new personal licence before the end of August 2009. Read our press release, originally published in February, for more details. May 2009 The Commission has written to licensed bookmakers to remind them that they must have effective policies and procedures in place to prevent young people under the age of 18 from gambling or entering a betting shop. Advice note on prize competitions and free draws: house competitions Survey data on remote gambling participation Read more… Statement of principles consultation Recovery from problem gambling: a qualitative study Dr Gerda Reith and Scottish NatCen carried out qualitative analysis examining the routes in and out of problem gambling. They explored the motivations, attitudes and self-perceptions of 45 gamblers and problem gamblers. Among other findings the researchers reported that gamblers their gambling behaviour in a variety of ways and distinguished between more and less damaging ways to gamble. The research showed that ceasing to gamble meant different things to different individuals. While some ceased all gambling activity others only ceased temporarily. The authors suggested that there is a need for a more differentiated view of gambling. Proposed Gaming Machine Standards - Supplement 2 Following consultation, the Gambling Commission has published our proposed gaming machine standards supplement 2, which sets out changes to the category C speed of play and game links section of the Machine Standards Category C and complex Category D. Investigation into illegal betting in Hayes April 2009 DCMS and the Commission have released a joint consultation on proposals for fees. Response to Hampton review on more effective regulation Commission steps up drive to protect betting integrity We have stepped up our drive to maintain the integrity of betting in Great Britain and we are calling for enhanced co-ordination between sports governing bodies and betting operators in our policy position paper on in-running (in play) betting. Read our press release… March 2009 Research paper published on the relationship between gambling, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and health Research paper published on the role of social factors in gambling Advice to British police services published Gaming machines seized in Liverpool and Wirral British panel of experts to advise on future gaming machines research
For archived news (prior to March 2009) click here We take no responsibility for any sites to which there is a link from this site. Use of the services offered by such sites is at your own discretion and your responsibility
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