Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963

  1. Introductory Text

  2. PART I Betting

    1. General restrictions on betting

      1. 1.Restriction on use of premises for betting transactions with persons resorting thereto

      2. 2.Restriction on bookmaking except under bookmaker's permit

      3. 3.Agent of bookmaker or Totalisator Board to be authorised and registered

      4. 4.Restriction of pool betting

      5. 5.Restriction of betting on tracks

      6. 6.Restriction of bookmaking on tracks

      7. 7.Restriction of betting on dog racecourses

      8. 8.Prohibition of betting in streets and public places

    2. Licensed betting offices

      1. 9.Betting office licences and betting agency permits

      2. 10.Conduct of licensed betting offices

    3. Special provisions with respect to bookmaker's and betting agency permits

      1. 11.Cancellation of and disqualification for bookmaker's or betting agency permit

    4. The Totalisator Board and pool betting on horse races

      1. 12.Horserace Totalisator Board

      2. 13.Approval of horse racecourses by Totalisator Board

      3. 14.Functions of Totalisator Board with respect to betting on horse races

      4. 15.Additional powers and duties of Totalisator Board

    5. Special provisions with respect to licensed tracks

      1. 16.Totalisators on licensed tracks

      2. 17.Special rights of occupier of licensed track where totalisator is operated

      3. 18.Charges to bookmakers on licensed tracks

      4. 19.Occupiers of licensed tracks not to have an interest in bookmaking thereon

      5. 20.Saving for right of occupier of licensed track to prohibit betting

    6. Special provisions with respect to young persons

      1. 21.Betting with young persons

      2. 22.Betting circulars not to be sent to young persons

    7. Power of entry on tracks

      1. 23.Power of entry on tracks

    8. Contributions for benefit of horse racing by bookmakers and Totalisator Board

      1. 24.Horserace Betting Levy Board

      2. 25.General powers and duties of Levy Board

      3. 26.Bookmakers' Committee

      4. 27.Bookmakers' levy schemes

      5. 28.Assessment of or exemption from bookmakers' levy

      6. 29.Levy appeal tribunals

      7. 30.Contributions by Totalisator Board

    9. Accounts and reports of Levy. Board and Totalisator Board

      1. 31.Accounts of, and reports by, Levy Board and Totalisator Board

  3. PART II Gaming

    1. 32.General provisions as to gaming

    2. 33.Gaming machines

    3. 34.Gaming in public places

    4. 35.Saving for dominoes and cribbage on licensed premises, etc.

    5. 36.Saving for clubs

    6. 37.Saving for entertainments not held for private gain

    7. 38.Supplementary provisions with respect to gaming

    8. 39.Local authorities not to subsidise premises for gaming

    9. 40.References in other Acts to gaming or unlawful games

  4. PART III Lotteries and Prize Competitions

    1. 41.Illegality of lotteries

    2. 42.Offences in connection with lotteries

    3. 43.Exemption of small lotteries incidental to certain entertainments

    4. 44.Exemption of private lotteries

    5. 45.Exemption of certain small lotteries conducted for charitable, sporting or other purposes

    6. 46.Saving for lotteries of Art Unions

    7. 47.Restriction of certain prize competitions

  5. PART IV Amusements with Prizes

    1. 48.Provisions of amusements with prizes at certain noncommercial entertainments

    2. 49.Provision of amusements with prizes at certain commercial entertainments

    3. 50.Amusement machines

  6. PART V General

    1. 51.Search warrants

    2. 52.Penalties and forfeitures

    3. 53.Offences by bodies corporate

    4. 54.Construction of certain references to private gain

    5. 55.Interpretation, etc.-general

    6. 56.Consequential amendments in other Acts

    7. 57.Repeals and savings

    8. 58.Short title, extent and commencement

  7. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      Bookmaker's Permits, Betting Agency Permits and Betting Office Licences

      1. Introductory

        1. 1.The authority responsible for the grant or renewal of bookmaker's...

        2. 2.In this Schedule, the following expressions have the following meanings...

      2. Applications for grant of permit or licence

        1. 3.Each appropriate authority shall for each year fix a day...

        2. 4.In addition to any meeting on a day fixed in...

        3. 5.Any such application as aforesaid may be made at any...

        4. 6.Not later than fourteen days after the making of any...

        5. 7.Not later than seven days after the publication of the...

      3. Applications for renewal of permit or licence

        1. 8.Each appropriate authority, in each year in which any application...

        2. 9.Any application for the renewal of such a permit or...

        3. 10.Where in any year, by reason of a change in...

      4. Proceedings before appropriate authority

        1. 11.On any application for the grant or renewal of a...

        2. 12.Where in the case of an application for the grant...

        3. 13.An appropriate authority may from time to time adjourn the...

        4. 14.On the consideration of any application for the grant or...

      5. Grounds for refusal to grant or renew bookmaker's or betting agency permit

        1. 15.The appropriate authority shall refuse any application for the grant...

        2. 16.(1) In the case of an application for the grant...

        3. 17.In the case of an application for the grant or...

        4. 18.For the purposes of paragraph 16 or 17 of this...

      6. Grounds for refusal to grant or renew betting office licence

        1. 19.In the case of an application for the grant or...

      7. Grant or renewal of permit or licence

        1. 20.(1) Save as provided by paragraphs 15 to 19 of...

      8. Appeals against refusals in England

        1. 21.(1) Where an appropriate authority in England refuse an application...

        2. 22.On determining any appeal under paragraph 21 of this Schedule,...

        3. 23.(1) Where, in the case of an appeal under paragraph...

      9. Appeals against refusals in Scotland

        1. 24.(1) Where an appropriate authority in Scotland refuse any application...

      10. Notification of change in directors during currency of bookmaker's permit

        1. 25.If, where the holder of a bookmaker's permit is a...

      11. Cancellation of bookmaker's permit by appropriate authority

        1. 26.If in the case of any bookmaker's permit an application...

        2. 27.(1) Where an application for the cancellation of a permit...

        3. 28.(1) Where the appropriate authority decide to forfeit and cancel...

      12. Duration of permit or licence

        1. 29.A bookmaker's permit betting agency permit or betting office licence...

        2. 30.Where application for the renewal of such a permit or...

        3. 31.Where the appropriate authority refuse to renew any such permit...

        4. 32.A betting office licence held by the holder of a...

        5. 33.In the event of the death of the holder of...

      13. Registers of permits and licences

        1. 34.The clerk to each appropriate authority shall keep registers in...

      14. Service of documents

        1. 35.Any provision of this Schedule requiring any notice or other...

      15. Provision of information

        1. 36.The clerk to each appropriate authority shall send to the...

        2. 37.The clerk to any appropriate authority shall furnish the Secretary...

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      Registered Pool Promoters

      1. Registering authorities

        1. 1.(1) Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, each of...

        2. 2.Where functions under this Schedule are delegated to a- committee...

        3. 3.(1) Any expenses incurred in the execution of this Schedule...

      2. Interpretation

        1. 4.(1) In relation to any person who carries on or...

      3. Registration of pool promoters

        1. 5.(1) If any person makes an application to the registering...

        2. 6.Where the registration of any person has been refused or...

        3. 7.Where the registration of any person has been refused or...

        4. 8.Where the registering authority revoke a registration under paragraph 5...

        5. 9.If a registered pool promoter dies, his registration shall, for...

      4. Fees in respect of registration

        1. 10.On 1st January in each year the appropriate continuation fee...

        2. 11.For the purposes of paragraphs 5 and 10 of this...

      5. Appointment of accountant by registering authority

        1. 12.(1) The registering authority shall, in the case of each...

      6. Conduct of registered pool promoter's business

        1. 13.Subject to paragraphs 14 to 19 of this Schedule, the...

        2. 14.Notwithstanding anything in paragraph 13 (d) or (e) of this...

        3. 15.Notwithstanding anything in paragraph 13 (d) or (e) of this...

        4. 16.Nothing in paragraph 13 (b) of this Schedule shall be...

        5. 17.Nothing in paragraph 13(f) of this Schedule shall be construed...

        6. 18.Nothing in paragraphs 13 to 17 of this Schedule shall...

        7. 19.Where two or more competitions of the same registered pool...

      7. Information to be given by promoters

        1. 20.(1) As soon as may be after the events to...

        2. 21.(1) Every registered pool promoter shall, not more than twenty-one...

        3. 22.The statements and announcements referred to in paragraphs 20 and...

        4. 23.(1) In August in each year every registered pool promoter...

        5. 24.(1) Where a registered pool promoter is a company to...

      8. Duties and powers of the accountant

        1. 25.The accountant shall— (a) examine all statements submitted to him...

        2. 26.The accountant and any servant of his authorised in that...

        3. 27.(1) If at any time the accountant has cause to...

        4. 28.Paragraphs 20 to 27 of this Schedule shall apply in...

      9. Enforcement

        1. 29.(1) Any person who— (a) obstructs the accountant or any...

    3. SCHEDULE 3

      Licensing of Tracks for Betting

      1. Licensing authorities and interpretation

        1. 1.Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Schedule 2 to this...

        2. 2.In this Schedule, except where the context otherwise requires—

      2. Applications for licences

        1. 3.An application for the grant of a track betting licence...

        2. 4.Each licensing authority may from time to time fix dates...

        3. 5.(1) No application for a track betting licence shall be...

        4. 6.(1) Upon the consideration by the licensing authority of an...

      3. Grant or refusal of licence

        1. 7.(1) The provisions of this paragraph shall have effect with...

      4. Duration and transfer of licences

        1. 8.A track betting licence shall, unless cancelled under paragraph 10...

        2. 9.Where in the case of any track the licensing authority...

        3. 10.The licensing authority by whom any track betting licence for...

        4. 11.In the event of the death of the holder of...

      5. Fees in respect of licences

        1. 12.(1) In respect of any application for a track betting...

      6. Revocation of licence and appeal therefrom

        1. 13.(1) At any time while a track betting licence is...

      7. Fixing of betting days by licensing authority

        1. 14.(1) Subject to the provisions of this and the next...

        2. 15.(1) The following provisions of this paragraph shall have effect...

    4. SCHEDULE 4

      Rules for Licensed Betting Offices

      1. 1.The licensed premises shall be closed throughout Good Friday, Christmas...

      2. 2.No person who is apparently under the age of eighteen...

      3. 3.The licensee— (a) shall display his betting office licence on...

      4. 4.Neither the licensee nor any servant or agent of his...

      5. 5.No facilities for— (a) seeing any television broadcast; or

      6. 6.Except for the licensee and any servant or agent of...

    5. SCHEDULE 5

      Totalisators on Dog Racecourses

      1. 1.The totalisator shall be a mechanically or electrically operated apparatus...

      2. 2.The person, whether the occupier of the track or a...

      3. 3.The operator shall, before receiving any bets in connection with...

      4. 4.The operator shall, in the case of any bets made...

      5. 5.Where the number of pence in the amount payable in...

      6. 6.The terms on which the operator invites persons to bet...

      7. 7.The licensing authority, that is to say, the authority by...

      8. 8.Subject to paragraph 9 of this Schedule, the accountant and...

      9. 9.The terms on which the accountant is appointed shall include...

      10. 10.The totalisator shall not be operated at any time when...

      11. 11.(1) The accountant the technical adviser and their respective servants...

      12. 12.The operator shall, within seven days after the close of...

      13. 13.The accountant shall examine the statements of account submitted to...

      14. 14.The accountant shall retain for a period of two years...

      15. 15.Without prejudice to his duties under the foregoing paragraphs, the...

      16. 16.Where by virtue of paragraph 1 of Schedule 3 to...

      17. 17.Without prejudice to paragraph 11 (2) of this Schedule, if...

    6. SCHEDULE 6

      Permits for Provision of Amusements with Prizes

      1. 1.Application for the grant of a permit for the provision...

      2. 2.Subject to the provisions of this Schedule, the grant or...

      3. 3.The local authority shall not refuse an application for the...

      4. 4.On any grant or renewal by the local authority of...

      5. 5.A permit under this Schedule shall not be transferable and...

      6. 6.Where a local authority in England refuse any application for...

      7. 7.Where a local authority in Scotland refuse any application for...

      8. 8.In the case of a refusal by the local authority...

      9. 9.In this Schedule, the expression " local authority ", in...

    7. SCHEDULE 7

      Promotion of Small Lotteries by Registered Societies

      1. PART I

        1. Registration of societies

          1. 1.(1) An application for the registration of a society for...

          2. 2.Any such application shall specify the purposes for which the...

          3. 3.Subject to the provisions of this Schedule, upon application being...

          4. 4.The local authority may, after giving the society an opportunity...

          5. 5.Where the registration of any society has been refused or...

          6. 6.Where the registration of any society has been refused or...

          7. 7.Where the local authority revoke a registration under paragraph 4...

          8. 8.A society which is for the time being registered under...

          9. 9.Every society which is registered under this Part of this...

      2. PART II

        1. Returns to be made by promoters

          1. 10.The promoter of a lottery to which section 45 of...

          2. 11.The local authority shall preserve any return sent to them...

          3. 12.Any person who fails to send a return in accordance...

    8. SCHEDULE 8

      Repeals