Gambling Commission publishes bingo advice for UK police

British police services this month got a reminder from the Gambling Commission of how the Gambling Act 2005 applies to bingo premises – and what that means for law enforcement officers when they attend such premises.

For instance, the March 2013 guidance notes the different kinds of premises on which bingo games might take place, including land-based bingo halls themselves, amusement arcades, pubs and clubs, casinos and travelling fairs; in some of these venues, the prize is likely to be a cash sum based on the number of players, while in others (notably amusement arcades) it is more likely to be a fixed prize, whose value remains the same no matter how many people participate in each game.

In the latter instance, under-18s are allowed to play, which means that they can participate in prize games held in some private clubs, funfairs, and family entertainment centres. However, under-18s should not be permitted to join in any games that take place on premises dedicated primarily to bingo itself, even if they are allowed on to the premises as part of a family group and are accompanied by adults. The Act states also that children must not be employed on premises where bingo games take place, regardless of the work they carry out there.

The Gambling Commission guidance tells police forces that the Gambling Act itself only permits enforcement on gambling-related issues that fall within the scope of the Act; for instance, if criminal damage is inflicted on a gaming machine by an individual on licensed bingo premises, it should still be prosecuted in accordance with the legislation for acts of criminal damage, and not as a directly gambling-related offence under the Gambling Act.

Under the terms of the 2005 Gambling Act, even relatively low-stakes premises hold certain obligations when they host bingo games – particularly if they see unexpectedly or unusually high levels of custom within any seven-day period. Where seven-day stakes or prizes exceed £2,000, this constitutes ‘high turnover bingo’, and the club must immediately inform the Gambling Commission if it does not hold an appropriate licence to conduct such operations on an ongoing basis.

A similar requirement is placed on pubs and other alcohol-licensed premises that host bingo games, demanding that the licensee should inform the Gambling Commission of seven-day stakes or prizes in excess of £2,000. In either instance, failure to do so can lead to a fine – and once a ‘high turnover period’ begins, it lasts for a full year from the start of the relevant seven-day period.