Guidance for applicants
Conversion
If you are currently licensed to provide facilities for gambling or have premises that are permitted to be used for gambling you should have already submitted an application for conversion to the Gambling Commission for operating and personal licences and will need to submit conversion applications to the London Borough of Waltham Forest for premises licences on or after 21 May 2007.
Fast Track Applications
Conversion applications (during the transitional period) can be fast tracked if all of the default conditions as set out in the Gambling Act 2005 (Mandatory and Default Conditions) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 are accepted.
Non Fast Track Applications
If any of the default conditions are not accepted then a ‘non fast track’ application will need to be submitted.
The Gambling Commission
The Act created the Gambling Commission, a unified regulator for Great Britain. The Gambling Commission will regulate all commercial gambling in Great Britain, except the National Lottery and Spread Betting, which will continue to be the responsibility of the National Lottery Commission and the Financial Services Authority respectively.
The Gambling Commission is responsible for issuing operating and personal licences under the Act. These licences are described in more detail below:
Operating Licence
An operating licence is required by anyone wishing to provide facilities for commercial gambling and will be issued for an unlimited period, although an annual fee will be payable. The commission has the power to review a licence, amend licence conditions and revoke a licence.
Personal Licence
There are two types of personal licences:
- Management - Management functions will include persons such as directors or partners of a company and also managers or supervisors handling significant amounts of money.
- Operational - Operational functions include posts where the individual has the ability to influence the outcome of gambling for example bingo callers or croupiers.
