Gaming Act 1968 (repealed)

31 Use of machines by virtue of licence or registration. E+W+S

(1) Subject to any direction given under section 32 of this Act, the following provisions of this section shall have effect where any machine to which this Part of this Act applies is used for gaming on any premises in respect of which—

(a) a licence under this Act is for the time being in force, or

(b) a club or a miners’ welfare institute is for the time being registered under Part II or under this Part of this Act.

[F1 (2) The maximum number of machines to which this Part of this Act applies which may be made available for gaming shall be—

(a) in the case of premises in respect of which a club or a miners’ welfare institute is for the time being registered under Part II or under this Part of this Act, three,

(b) in the case of bingo club premises (as defined by section 20 of this Act), four, and

(c) in the case of any other premises in respect of which a licence under this Act is for the time being in force, [F2 ten].]

(3) The charge for play for playing a game once by means of any such machine on the premises shall be a coin or coins inserted in the machine of an amount not exceeding (or, if more than one, not in the aggregate exceeding) one shilling or such other sum as may be specified in an order made by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this subsection.

(4) In respect of any one game played by means of such a machine on the premises no player or person claiming under a player shall receive, or shall be entitled to receive, any article, benefit or advantage other than a coin or coins delivered by the machine.

(5) If an amount is prescribed for the purposes of this subsection, the coins delivered by any such machine on the premises as a prize in respect of any one game played by means of the machine shall not in the aggregate exceed the amount so prescribed.

(6) If a percentage is prescribed for the purposes of this subsection, then on any premises in respect of which a licence under this Act is for the time being in force there shall not be any such machine which, in accordance with the way in which the machine is constructed, adapted or for the time being regulated, is designed to pay out less than that percentage of the aggregate value of the charges for play inserted in the machine.

(7) There shall be displayed on any such machine on any such premises as are mentioned in subsection (1) of this section—

(a) a statement specifying the value of the prize (or, if there are different prizes, the value of each prize) which can be won by playing a game once by means of the machine;

(b) if there are any special circumstances in which that prize (or, as the case may be, those prizes) cannot be won, a statement of those circumstances; and

(c) a statement of a percentage as being the percentage or minimum percentage of the aggregate value of the charges for play inserted in the machine which the machine is designed to pay out;

and, if the manner in which those statements are to be so displayed is prescribed, they shall be displayed in that manner.

(8) No such machine shall be used for gaming on the premises at any time when the public have access to the premises, whether on payment or otherwise.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 31(2) substituted (20.6.1996) by S.I. 1996/1359, art. 5

F2 Word in s. 31(2)(c) substituted (24.8.1999) by S.I. 1999/2136, art. 5

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 31(3): sum of 50p specified (1.10.1998) for purposes of s. 31(3) by S.I. 1998/2152, art. 2.