Apply for a gambling premises licence

Before any application can be made for a premises licence, an application for a relevant operating licence must have been submitted to the Gambling Commission. Further details on operating licences and personal licences are available direct from the Gambling Commission. You should note that no premises licence will be granted before an appropriate operating licence is confirmed as granted.

An applicant must also have a legal right to occupy and utilise the licensed premises before you make an application.

Make an application

How to apply for a gambling premises licence:

You should note that the application process will not start until the fee is received.

What you need to apply for a premises licence

You must provide the following with your completed application form:

Fee

The fee is based on the licensable activity you wish to carry out at the premises. You must include the correct fee with your application.

Plan of the premises

The plan must be clear and legible in all respects and must show:

  • The boundaries or perimeter of the premises
  • Where the premises consist of one or more buildings, the location of the external or internal walls of each building
  • Where the premises forms part of a building, the location of the external or internal walls of the building which are included in the premises
  • Where the premises are a vessel (boat) or a part of a vessel, the location of any part of the sides of the vessel and any internal walls which are included in the premises
  • The location of each entry and exit at the premises, including a description of the place from which the entry or to which the exit leads, and

Premises licences for the following activities have to show additional items on the plans. These are:

Bingo

For this activity the plan needs to show the following additional items:

  • The location and area of any part of the premises used to provide facilities for gaming (other than those parts which include Category B or C gaming machines);
  • The location and extent of any area in which Category B or C gaming machines will be made available for use; and
  • The nature and location of any barrier or other thing separating any area with Category B or C gaming machines from any other part of the premises

Adult gaming centre

For this activity the plan needs to show the following additional items:

  • The location and extent of any part of the premises in which gaming machines will be made available

Family entertainment centre

For this activity the plan needs to show the following additional items:

  • The location and extent of any part of the premises in which Category C gaming machines will be made available
  • The location and extent of the area in which Category D gaming machines will be made available, and
  • The nature and location of any barrier or other thing separating any area with Category C gaming machines from any other part of the premises.

Betting (other than a track)

For this activity the plan needs to show the following additional items:

  • The location and extent of any part of the premises which will be used to provide gambling facilities

Betting (tracks)

For this activity the plan needs to show the following additional items:

  • The location and extent of any other areas which will be used for providing betting facilities
  • The location and extent of any part of the premises in which Category B or C gaming machines will be made available
  • The nature and location of any barrier or other thing separating any area with Category B or C gaming machines from any other part of the premises

You can use a legend to explain the symbols used on the plan.

Notifying responsible authorities

You must give notice of your application to each of the responsible authorities within seven days, starting on the date on which the application was made. If you do not do this, your application will be invalid. The notice must be in the form of notice for responsible authorities:

Advertise the application

You must advertise your application in the local newspaper and with a site notice(s).

Local newspaper

A notice must be published in a local newspaper on at least one occasion during the period of ten working days starting on the day after the day on which the application was given. A copy of the newspaper advertisement should be forwarded to us. 

Download a template for the newspaper advert.

Contact details for suitable newspapers:

Wandsworth Guardian,
Newsquest South & West London,
Floors 9 & 10, Quadrant House,
The Quadrant, 
Sutton, 
Surrey, SM2 5AS
Wandsworth and South London Press
South London Press (1865) Ltd,
County House, 
221-241 Beckenham Road 
Beckenham 
Kent BR3 4UF

Site notices

You must advertise your application at the premises with a site notice. 

This notice must be displayed in a place where it can be conveniently read by members of the public from the exterior of the premises.

The poster must be displayed for a period of at least 28 days starting on the day the application was given to us. 

Download template for the site notice.

What happens next?

We will check:

  • The application is correctly completed
  • The responsible authorities have been notified
  • It has been advertised correctly

If there is a problem

If there is a problem with the application, we may contact you for further information or return the application (or part of it) for your attention. Until these problems are solved your application is not valid and the consultation period will not start.

How long does it take to decide on an application?

There is a legal 28 day consultation period during which representations can be made in relation to an application. See making representations for more information.

If we receive no representations within the 28 days, we will grant your application as applied for.

What happens if representations are received?

Where we receive relevant representations, we will hold a hearing of our Licensing Committee to decide on the application (unless all parties agree that a hearing is not necessary). We will tell you about the arrangements for the hearing.

We will aim to hold the hearing within 20 working days following the final date for the receipt of representations.

The decision

After the Licensing Committee has heard all parties it will make its decision. It may:

  • Grant the application
  • Grant the application with additional conditions
  • Reject the application

This decision is usually made at the time of the hearing. This will be confirmed in writing with the reasons for the decision along with information on what you need to do if you want to appeal.

Appeals

Both the applicant and anyone making representations can appeal to the local magistrates' court if they are dissatisfied with the decision. 

Displaying the licence

The new licence will take effect either on the day it is approved or, if later, on the date you have requested.

The premises licence summary must be prominently displayed on the premises and a copy of the full licence kept on the premises available for inspection.

If you lose the licence you can apply for a copy by writing to us and enclosing the required fee. We will issue you with a replacement licence as soon as possible and in any event within 14 days.

Annual fee

A premises licence has no time limit and you will not need to apply again unless your circumstances change. However, you have to pay an annual fee every 12 months after the licence issue date. We will contact you one month before the fee is due with a reminder. The first annual fee is payable:

  • Within 30 days of the licence being issued; or
  • If you requested a particular date when the licence comes into effect, the first annual fee must be paid within 30 days of that date
  • View annual fees

Failure to pay the annual fee will result in the revocation of the licence unless the failure to pay is attributable to an administrative error.

If you do not wish to continue with the premises licence you are required to confirm this in writing enclosing the original licence. If this is not possible you must provide a statement as to the why you cannot do so. 

Other authorisations

An Operating Licence concerned with the management and conduct of gambling and a Personal Licence with key operational functions connected with the gambling business are two licence types issued by the Gambling Commission.

Gaming Machine Permits: Permits are issued to premises that either offer low stake and prize gaming, or premises whose primary function is not the provision of gaming facilities for example gaming machines in pubs and clubs.

Occasional Gambling Activities: Certain gambling activities can be approved on a short-term, infrequent basis, through a temporary use notice or an occasional use notice.

Up to Gambling premises licensing

Updated: 20/07/2022