The Gaming Act 1968 (Variation of Monetary Limits) Order 2005

Statutory Instruments

2005 No. 2776

BETTING, GAMING AND LOTTERIES

The Gaming Act 1968 (Variation of Monetary Limits) Order 2005

Made

8th October 2005

Laid before Parliament

10th October 2005

Coming into force

31st October 2005

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon her by sections 31(3) and 51(3) and (4) of the Gaming Act 1968(1), hereby makes the following Order:

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Gaming Act 1968 (Variation of Monetary Limits) Order 2005 and shall come into force on 31st October 2005.

(2) In this Order—

“the 1968 Act” means the Gaming Act 1968;

“casino jackpot gaming machine” means a jackpot gaming machine which is used for gaming on premises in respect of which a licence under the 1968 Act is for the time being in force other than bingo club premises (as defined in section 20 of that Act(2)); and

“jackpot gaming machine” means a machine to which Part 3 of the 1968 Act applies, and which is used for gaming on any premises in respect of which—

(a)

a licence under that Act is for the time being in force, or

(b)

a club or miners' welfare institute is for the time being registered under Part 2 or 3 of that Act.

Monetary limits on the charge for play for jackpot gaming machines

2.—(1) This article specifies for the purposes of section 31(3) of the 1968 Act the sum which the charge for play for playing a game once by means of a jackpot gaming machine is not to exceed.

(2) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), the sum is 50 pence.

(3) In the case of a casino jackpot gaming machine where the amount payable as a prize in respect of any one game played by means of the machine cannot exceed £500, the sum is £100.

(4) In the case of any other casino jackpot gaming machine, the sum is £2.

Revocation

3.  The Gaming Act (Variation of Monetary Limits) (No.2) Order 1998(3) is hereby revoked.

Richard Caborn

Minister of State

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

8th October 2005

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order specifies the maximum amount of the charge for play for a machine to which section 31 of the Gaming Act 1968 Act applies. Section 31 governs machines to which Part 3 of that Act applies (commonly known as “fruit machines” or “slot machines”) where used for gaming, either on premises licensed under that Act or on premises used by a club or miners' welfare institute registered under Part 2 or 3 of the Act. Where such a machine is made available for gaming on such premises it is commonly referred to as a jackpot gaming machine.

By virtue of the Gaming Act (Variation of Monetary Limits) (No.2) Order 1998 (S.I.1998/2152) the charge for play for such a machine cannot exceed 50 pence, and this applies irrespective of the premises on which the machine is situated. This Order revokes the 1998 Order and provides for different maximum amounts to be specified for different premises and descriptions of machine. Where a jackpot gaming machine is made available on any premises other than a casino, the maximum amount for the charge for play remains at 50 pence. In a casino, the amount varies depending on the maximum prize which the machine can pay in respect of a single game played on the machine. Where the prize cannot exceed £500 the maximum amount specified for the charge for play is £100. In any other case the maximum amount is £2.

A full Regulatory Impact Assessment of the costs and benefits of this Order is available from the Gaming and Lotteries Branch, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2-4 Cockspur Street, London SW1Y 5DH, telephone [phone].

(1)

1968 c. 65. The Gaming Act 1968 is to be repealed by the Gambling Act 2005 (c. 19), section 356(4) and Schedule 17, on a date to be appointed by order made under section 358(1) of that Act. Section 31(3) is amended by article 2(3) of the Regulatory Reform (Gaming Machines) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/3275). Section 51(3) is amended by the Gambling Act 2005, section 356(1) and Schedule 16, paragraph 3(6).

(2)

There are amendments to section 20, but they are not relevant to this Order.

(3)

S.I. 1998/2152, partially revoked by S.I. 2001/3971.