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Compliance and implementation timescales

Compliance and enforcement

The Act provides the Gambling Commission, local authorities, licensing authorities and the police with the powers necessary to monitor compliance with the provisions of the Act and with licence conditions, and to investigate suspected offences.

In general, the Gambling Commission will take the lead on the investigation and prosecution of illegal gambling, but there may be occasions on which licensing authorities are better placed to take the lead, particularly where there is illegal activity on a smaller scale that is confined to one authority area.

Implementation timescales

1 September 2006

• Transitional period begins
• Operators whose existing permissions expire after 1 September 2006 will have their permissions automatically extended until 31 August 2007 (the end of the transitional period).  There is no need for application or fee.

1 January 2007

• The Gambling Commission will start to accept applications for operating licences.

21 May 2007

• Licensing Authorities will start to accept advance applications for premises licences.

31 July 2007 – key date

• This is the deadline for applications for existing operators (or new operators outstanding applications under the existing legislation) wishing to receive continuation rights.
• Applications received after this date will still be processed but will not receive continuation rights.
• This is the closing date for new operators to apply for permissions under the existing legislation in order to start operating before 1 September 2007 and/or potentially qualify for continuation and grandfather rights.
• After 31 July, only Gambling Act 2005 permissions will be granted, which means new operators would not be able to commence operating until 1 September 2007.

31 August 2007

• Transitional period ends.

1 September 2007

• Gambling Act 2005 comes into effect along with the new licences and permits granted under that Act.
• Those operators with continuation rights may continue to operate, subject to the mandatory and default conditions.
• Those who do not have continuation rights and have yet to receive their permissions under the new legislation must cease operation.
• Existing legislation is repealed.