Gambling Policy

Temporary use notices allow the use of premises for gambling where there is no premises licence but where a gambling operator wishes to use the premises temporarily for providing facilities for gambling. Premises that might be suitable for a temporary use notice, according the Gambling Commission, would include hotels, conference centres and sporting venues.

The licensing authority can only grant a temporary use notice to a person or company holding a relevant operating licence, i.e. a non-remote casino operating licence.

The Secretary of State has the power to determine what form of gambling can be authorised by temporary use notices, and at the time of writing this Statement the relevant regulations (SI no 3157: The Gambling Act 2005 (Temporary Use Notices) Regulations 2007) state that temporary use notices can only be used to permit the provision of facilities or equal chance gaming, where the gaming is intended to produce a single winner, which in practice means poker tournaments.

There are a number of statutory limits as regards temporary use notices. The meaning of "premises" in Part 8 of the Act is discussed in Part 7 of the Gambling Commission Guidance to Local Authorities. As with "premises", the definition of "a set of premises" will be a question of fact in the particular circumstances of each notice that is given. In the Act "premises" is defined as including "any place".

In considering whether a place falls within the definition of "a set of premises", the licensing authority will look at, amongst other things, the ownership/occupation and control of the premises.

This licensing authority expects to object to notices where it appears that their effect would be to permit regular gambling in a place that could be described as one set of premises, as recommended in the Gambling Commission's Guidance to Local Authorities.