The 13A gambling act refers to the Gambling Regulation Act of 2003 that regulates gambling operations in the United Kingdom. This legislation was passed to update the previous gambling laws and establish a new framework for regulating gambling, with the main objectives being to prevent crime associated with gambling, ensure that gambling is conducted responsibly and protect children and vulnerable people from being harmed by gambling.
What does the 13A gambling act cover?
The main areas covered by the 13A gambling act include:
- Establishing the Gambling Commission as the unified regulator for gambling in Great Britain.
- Introducing a new system of operating licenses and personal licenses that gambling operators and key staff must hold.
- Setting standards for promoting socially responsible gambling.
- Strengthening powers to regulate advertising, especially to protect children.
- Updating laws on casinos, gaming machines, betting, bingo and lotteries.
- Introducing new powers to regulate remote gambling including online operations.
- Updating regulation of gambling premises.
- Setting sanctions and penalties for illegal gambling.
When was the 13A gambling act introduced?
The 13A gambling act received Royal Assent and became law in April 2003. The act then came into force in stages over the following years:
- September 2007 – The Gambling Commission took over regulation of gambling from the Gaming Board of Great Britain.
- September 2007 – Operators required new Gambling Commission licenses to operate.
- September 2007 – Regulation of remote gambling introduced.
- January 2008 – Changes to gaming machines regulations came into force.
- September 2009 – Remaining provisions of the act implemented.
What were the aims of the 13A gambling act?
The government stated several specific aims in introducing the gambling act legislation:
- Preventing gambling being a source of crime and disorder.
- Ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way.
- Protecting children and vulnerable people from the harms of gambling.
- Modernizing the law to reflect changes in technology and how people gamble.
- Providing flexibility to adapt gambling regulation as needs change.
- Ensuring gambling taxes are fair while remaining economically competitive.
By consolidating gambling regulation under one unified regulator and updating laws, the act aimed to achieve these goals and establish a new era of responsible gambling in the UK.
How did the 13A gambling act update gaming machine regulations?
One major part of the 13A gambling act was introducing significant changes to the regulations surrounding gaming machines in licensed betting shops, arcades and pubs.
Key changes included:
- New categories for gaming machines based on maximum stakes and prizes rather than specific game types.
- Increase in maximum stakes for B2 gaming machines in casinos and betting shops.
- Introduction of regional casino licensing including larger jackpot machines.
- New powers for local authorities over the number of betting shop gaming machines.
The gaming machine changes came into force in January 2008 and aimed to allow more choice for venues and players while also addressing problem gambling concerns over higher stake casino-style machines.
Gaming machine entitlements under the 13A gambling act
| Machine category | Maximum stake | Maximum prize | Locations permitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Unlimited | Unlimited | Regional casinos |
| B1 | £5 | £10,000 | Casinoes |
| B2 | £100 | £500 | Betting shops, casinos, bingo halls, adult gaming centres |
| B3 | £2 | £500 | Betting shops, bingo halls, adult gaming centres |
| B3A | £2 | £500 | Adult gaming centres |
| B4 | £2 | £400 | Clubs and pubs |
| C | £1 | £100 | Amusement arcades, pubs, clubs and holiday parks |
| D non-money prize | 30p | £8 token | Unlicensed family entertainment centres |
| D non-money prize (crane grab) | £1 | £50 | Unlicensed family entertainment centres |
| D money prize | 10p | £5 | Unlicensed family entertainment centres |
| D combined money and non-money prize | 10p | £8 (of which no more than £5 may be a money prize) | Unlicensed family entertainment centres |
How did the act change the regulation of remote gambling?
One of the major innovations of the 13A gambling act was introducing a new framework for regulating remote gambling including online and phone betting, casino, bingo and more. Key features included:
- Operators required a specific remote gambling license from the Gambling Commission.
- Taxation changed from a ‘place of supply’ to a ‘point of consumption’ model.
- Rules to promote responsible gambling like age verification and self-exclusion.
- Banning devices that allow anonymous remote gambling.
- Allowing gambling on credit was banned.
- Permitting advertising in limited circumstances while protecting children.
By bringing remote gambling under consistent regulation for the first time, the act aimed to open up online gambling in a responsible, well-supervised way.
What new powers were created for the Gambling Commission?
The 13A gambling act created the Gambling Commission and gave it extensive new powers as the unified regulator for commercial gambling in Great Britain. These new powers included:
- Licensing gambling operators and key staff providing facilities or key services.
- Issuing codes of practice relating to social responsibility, advertising and other areas.
- Giving general advice to the government about gambling.
- Conducting research into gambling and advising local authorities.
- Investigating unlawful gambling and issuing civil penalties.
- Prosecuting illegal gambling operators.
- Revoking licenses and imposing licence conditions.
- Supervising gambling premises.
These extensive powers enabled the Commission to take robust action to achieve the act’s goals of fair, open and crime-free gambling that protects the vulnerable.
How did the act strengthen social responsibility requirements?
A major focus of the reforms was introducing new social responsibility requirements for gambling operators to prevent problem gambling and protect children and vulnerable people. Key measures included:
- Requiring operators to promote socially responsible gambling.
- Contributing to problem gambling research, education and treatment.
- Following codes of practice on advertising and customer interaction.
- Implementing age verification checks.
- Providing information about responsible gambling and risks.
- Allowing customers to self-exclude.
- Suitability checks for high turnover customers.
- Staff training requirements.
Breach of these social responsibility requirements became a licence condition that could lead to revocation or penalties.
What offence was created by the gambling act?
A new offence was introduced by the act of ‘use of premises for unlawful gaming’. This made it illegal to use any premises, vehicle, vessel or stall to provide facilities for gambling without a valid operating licence or relevant exemptions. This aimed to enable police and local authorities to tackle illegal gambling in settings like pubs or private clubs.
On summary conviction this offence could lead to up to 51 weeks in prison and/or a fine up to £5,000. The stakes and prizes connected to the unlawful gaming could also be forfeited.
How were penalties updated by the gambling act?
As well as introducing the offence of providing facilities for unlicensed gambling, the act updated a range of penalties and sanctions to support gambling regulation. These included:
- Unlimited fines for breaching licence conditions or codes of practice.
- Suspending or revoking licences.
- Financial penalties up to £1 million from the Gambling Commission.
- Forfeiture of stakes and prizes from unlicensed gambling.
- Limited periods of imprisonment for illegal operators.
These sanctions aimed to ensure the Commission and courts had suitable punishments to uphold gambling standards.
How were gambling advertisements regulated under the act?
The 13A gambling act gave new powers to regulate gambling advertising and marketing to achieve two main goals:
- Protecting children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling advertising.
- Preventing advertising becoming too excessive or misleading that it affects responsible gambling.
Key advertising regulations included:
- Requiring ads are socially responsible.
- Restrictions on marketing gambling to children.
- Banning sending promotions to self-excluded customers.
- Requiring ads are fair and do not mislead.
- Limiting TV and radio ads unless late at night.
The Committee of Advertising Practice provided guidance on appropriate marketing content and placement.
How did regional casinos change under the act?
The 2005 Gambling Act originally allowed eight new regional ‘super casinos’ but this was later reduced to just one permitted in the 2007 regulations. The act aimed to enable these regional resort-style casinos to operate as destinations for national and international tourism with multiple entertainment facilities including:
- Larger casinos able to operate 150+ gaming tables.
- Up to 1,250 gaming machines.
- Games with unlimited maximum stakes/prizes.
- Hotels, restaurants, bars, theatres and other entertainment.
However, the bids and selection process for regional casinos faced delays and criticism. Eventually the idea was abandoned in 2013 before any could open.
How did the act change the regulation of casinos?
As well as proposing new regional ‘super casinos’, the 13A gambling act made wider changes to the regulation of casino gambling including:
- Casinos required an operating licence from the new Gambling Commission.
- New permission for small casinos under the license with 1-20 gaming tables.
- Increasing maximum casino gaming tables from 40-150 for large and regional casinos.
- Removing limits on opening hours for casinos.
- Allowing casino premises licenses to include multiple sites.
- Increasing the number of slot machines allowed in casinos.
These changes intended to improve the competitiveness of UK casinos while the Gambling Commission provided oversight of social responsibility and suitability.
What changes were made to betting regulation?
The act introduced some reforms to betting laws including:
- Requiring bookmakers and betting exchanges to obtain an operating licence from the Gambling Commission.
- Allowing up to 4 gaming machines in betting shops.
- Removing restrictions on number of telephone betting lines.
- Regulating spread betting as gambling for the first time.
- Clarifying regulation of betting intermediaries and betting tipsters.
Bookmakers also became subject to codes of practice on social responsibility and advertising. However, the act did not substantially reform traditional over-the-counter betting regulation.
How were bingo and lotteries affected by the act?
The act made limited reforms to bingo and lottery gambling including:
- Requiring bingo and lottery operators to obtain a Gambling Commission license.
- Allowing licensed bingo halls to offer linked games with larger prizes.
- Increasing permitted gaming machines in bingo halls from 2 to 4.
- Regulating lotteries run for ‘good causes’ became the Gambling Commission’s role.
However, for players the experience of most bingo and lottery games was largely unchanged by the act.
Conclusion
In summary, the Gambling Act 2005 represented a major modernization and overhaul of gambling regulation in Great Britain. After years of outdated laws struggling to keep pace with technology and public expectations, the 13A gambling act aimed to establish a new era of gambling that was fair, open, competitive and crucially ensured the protection of children and vulnerable people.
Despite controversies over elements like regional casinos during its development, most observers agree the act overall achieved its goals of liberalizing gambling within a strict new regulatory regime. Over 15 years later, the Gambling Commission still regulates gambling under the broad framework laid down by the act which established principles of socially responsible gambling that remain central today.