Club gaming and club machine permits

If you run a members' club or a commercial club and you want to provide gaming machines, games of chance or equal chance games to club members, you need either a club gaming or a club machine permit.

Before you apply

You need to read and understand the requirements on this page before you submit an application for a permit. We cannot proceed with your application unless you give us all the information we need.

Club gaming permits are available to members’ clubs or miners’ welfare institutes, but NOT commercial clubs. Club machine permits are available to members’ clubs, miners’ welfare institutes and commercial clubs.

Select a topic below to find out more about each permit.

Club gaming permits

Club gaming permits allow you to offer:

• equal chance gaming, such as poker or bingo
• pontoon and chemin de fer (not blackjack)
• a total of 3 gaming machines, under categories B3A, B4, C or D - only 1 category B3A machine is allowed

Stake and prize restrictions

With a club gaming permit, there are no limits on stakes and prizes for most games, with the exception of bingo. Bingo carries a stake and prize limit of £2,000 in any 7 day period.

Participation fees

Participation fees per person are:

• £20 per day for bridge and/or whist
• £3 per person for other games

Club machine permits

Club machine permits allow you to offer:

• equal chance gaming, such as poker or bingo
• a total of 3 gaming machines under categories B3A, B4, C or D (only 1 category B3A machine is allowed - B3A machines are not permitted for commercial clubs) 

Stake and prize restrictions

With a club machine permit, the limits on prizes and stakes are as follows:

• Stakes and prizes for bingo: a maximum of £2,000 in any 7 day period
• Stakes for poker: £10 per person per game, with a premises limit of £250 in stakes per day and £1,000 per week
• Prizes for poker: £250 per game

Participation fees

Participation fees per person are:

• £18 per day for bridge and/or whist
• £1 per person for other games
• £3 per person for other games in commercial clubs

Eligibility

To be eligible for a club gaming or club machine permit, members' clubs must:

• have at least 25 members
• be controlled by club members
• not be established to make a profit

Commercial clubs must also have at least 25 members and be controlled by club members. However, commercial clubs can be established to make a profit.

Application details

You must provide the following details as part of your application:

• Application fee
• Type of club you operate

Fees and prices

Select a topic below, to view the fees and charges for club gaming permits.

Other charges

Fee	Price
Application fee	£200
Annual fee	£50
Variation fee	£100
Transfer to another holder	£25
Change of name	£25
Copy of permit	£15

Permit duration

We grant gaming machine permits for 10 years, unless we state otherwise.

You will need to pay an annual fee prior to the anniversary of the issue date of your permit to maintain it.

How to apply

We are currently developing an online application form. At the moment, you can complete a PDF application form and send this to us by emailing us at licensing@bathnes.gov.uk

• Application form

Further information

Once you have applied for a permit, you must submit a copy of the application to the police and the Gambling Commission within 7 days of your application.

Select a topic below to find out more about club gaming and club machine permits licences.

The application process

Once we receive your application, we will consult with the following:

• The police
• Gambling Commission

They will have 28 days to make any objections to your application.

If we receive no objections, we will grant your permit once the consultation period ends. If we do receive an objection, we will hold a hearing to decide whether to refuse or grant a permit.

Processing time

We aim to determine applications within 28 days.

Tacit consent does not apply.  If you do not hear from us within 28 days, email us at: licensing@bathnes.gov.uk

Appeals

If you want to appeal a permit rejection, please contact your legal advisor or email us at: licensing@bathnes.gov.uk

Conditions and guidance

All permit holders must comply with the Gambling Commission Code of Practice

Depending on the permit you hold, you must follow the following conditions, or we may cancel your permit.

Club gaming permits

• You may have a maximum of 3 gaming machines
• No person under 18 years of age can use the machines

Club machine permits

• Only club members or guests can use the gaming machines
• No person under 18 years of age can use the Category B or C machines

Revoking a permit

If you fail to pay the annual fee, we can cancel your permit.

A court may also order forfeiture of your permit if you are convicted of an offence under the Gambling Act 2005

We may also cancel a permit if either of the following apply:

• your premises are used wholly by children and/or young people
• you have committed an offence or a breach of the permit conditions in the course of gaming activities

We will give you at least 21 days notice to appeal a cancellation. If you request a hearing, we will hold one.

The cancellation will not take effect until we have determined any appeal. If you do not appeal, we will cancel the permit 21 days after we gave you notice.

Relevant legislation

Gambling Act 2005

We have made the information on these web pages as comprehensive as possible.  However, in attempting to simplify the law, certain requirements have been omitted. Full details of what you must do are in the relevant legislation.

Laws can and do change. We must advise that only the Courts can give an authoritative opinion on statute law.