Under the Gaming Act 1968 a permit is required for premises that provide amusements with prizes by way of machines.  The type of machines that fall under the Council's control are the small payment "fruit" machines normally found in amusement arcades.

Gaming Machines

The 1968 Gaming Act made provision for two types of gaming machine: Jackpot machines and Amusements with Prizes (AWP) machines.

Jackpot machines are confined to clubs licensed (i.e. casinos and bingo clubs) or registered (e.g. working men’s clubs and sports clubs). The maximum stake for Jackpot machines is 50p and the maximum payout is £1000 for casinos, £500 in bingo clubs and £250 in registered clubs.

AWP machines need permits from the local authority to be located in places to which the public have access, e.g. arcades or cafes, or from the liquor licence justices for pubs. The maximum stake for an AWP machine from the local authority is 30p, and the maximum prize is limited to either £5 in cash or £8 in tokens. Machines AWP machines registered with the justices is £25.

The sale, supply, and maintenance of machines is controlled separately through a scheme of certification run by the Gaming Board.

The AWP machines are intended for use in essentially adult environments and therefore permitted only in liquor licensed premises, licensed bingo clubs, casinos, licensed betting offices, amusement arcades and cafes which either prohibit access to under 18’s altogether or have dedicated areas to which under 18’s are not allowed access.

Where an arcade wishes to install AWP machines, the local authority may only issue a permit to the operator if he prohibits entrance by children, or places the machines in a designated area to which children do not have access.

No AWP machines at all may be issued to cafes and similar premises to which children have unrestricted access.

Please note that Planning permission may be required and anyone wishing to install a machine should seek advice from the Council’s Development Control office.