Legal advice: Gambling Bill on its way
Now the government has responded to it, the draft Gambling Bill could be pushed through Parliament as early as the end of this year.
By David Clifton of thePublican.com's team of legal experts from London solicitors Joelson Wilson.
On June 14 the government responded to the Joint Scrutiny Committee report on the draft Gambling Bill, published in April. It has accepted 121 out of 139 recommendations made by the committee and there is every indication that the Bill could be pushed through Parliament later this year. Certainly the government has flagged its intention to introduce a more restrictive regime in relation to gaming machines and AWPs. Fewer high-jackpot machines are now proposed for casinos and machines are to be banned completely from unlicensed premises, such as mini-cab offices and takeaways.
Local authorities are also to be given powers to prevent new casinos opening in their area. No changes are proposed in relation to the principle that pubs should be permitted to retain as many AWP machines as are already authorised under their licences.
However, the government has rejected the Scrutiny Committee's recommendation that pubs (and clubs) should not be required to apply for an additional bingo licence until such time as stakes or prizes (in any period of seven days) have totalled £2,000 or more. The government says it intends to impose a ceiling of £1,000 and to proceed with caution, at least until it is known exactly how much bingo is played in such premises.
The government will not make its position on fixed odds betting terminals any more clear until the outcome is known, later this year, of the first stage of independent research into such terminals (commissioned by the Association of British Bookmakers).
The government has also acknowledged that it intends to keep under review whether allowing alcohol to be consumed on casino gaming floors is leading to problems, particularly for vulnerable consumers, on the basis that a prohibition could be reintroduced if necessary in the future.
