The Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985

Form and duration of new bookmakers' licences and bookmaking office licences N.I.

15.—(1) A bookmaker's licence shall be in such form as may be prescribed by regulations and shall specify—

(a) the name and address of the holder of the licence;

(b) such other matters as may be so prescribed.

(2) A bookmaking office licence shall be in such form as may be prescribed by regulations and shall specify—

(a) the name and address of the holder of the licence;

(b) the address of the licensed office;

(c) the name and address of the owner of the licensed office;

(d) such other matters as may be so prescribed.

(3) Subject to Article 13(4) and to the succeeding provisions of this Article, a bookmaker's licence or a bookmaking office licence shall, unless it is revoked or is a licence to which a disqualification order under Article 30 or 53 applies or it ceases to be in force under Article 173, remain in force from the date on which it is granted until—

(a) the expiration of the licensing year in which it is granted, or

(b) if it is granted within the 3 months immediately preceding the expiration of that year, the expiration of the next following licensing year.

(4) Where, at the hearing of an application for the grant of a bookmaker's licence or a bookmaking office licence, any person appears before the court and opposes the grant, but the court grants the licence—

(a) until the expiry of the time for bringing an appeal against the grant and, if an appeal is brought, until the grant is confirmed or the appeal is abandoned, the licence granted shall not come into force;

(b) if on appeal the grant is confirmed or if the appeal is abandoned, for the purpose of determining the period for which the licence is to be in force the date when the appeal is disposed of shall be substituted for the date on which the licence was granted and the[F1 chief clerk or, as the case may be, the clerk] shall (if necessary) amend the licence accordingly.

(5) Where a bookmaking office licence granted conditionally is at any time declared unconditional paragraph (3), other than sub-paragraph (b), shall apply as if the licence were granted at that time.

(6) Where a bookmaking office licence granted provisionally is at any time declared final paragraphs (3) and (4) shall apply as if the licence were granted at that time.

(7) Paragraph (3) shall not prejudice the operation of Articles 21 and 29 under which a bookmaker's licence and a bookmaking office licence may continue in force after the time when they would otherwise expire.

(8) Where at any time—

(a) a licensed bookmaker dies or is adjudged bankrupt, or his business becomes vested in the official assignee (whether before or after his death) without his being so adjudged F2 ... or a receiver of his property or a committee or guardian is appointed with power to manage the business; or

(b) in the case of a body corporate, a winding-up is commenced or a receiver is appointed as aforesaid;

except for the purposes of the renewal of the licence, the personal representative or, as the case requires, the assignees or trustee in bankruptcy, official assignee, F3 ... receiver, committee, guardian or liquidator shall be deemed to be the licensed bookmaker and—

(i) subject to sub-paragraph (ii), any bookmaker's licence and bookmaking office licence held by the licensed bookmaker shall, where they would otherwise expire under this Article or Article 22(1), continue in force until the end of a period of 6 months from that time unless the licences are revoked or are licences to which a disqualification order under Article 30 or 53 applies or the licences cease to be in force under Article 173;

(ii) a court of summary jurisdiction may on the application of the person deemed to be the licensed bookmaker, extend the period for which those licences continue to be in force by virtue of this paragraph if it is satisfied that no circumstances make it undesirable.

(9) Where a licensed bookmaker dies and he has no personal representative or his personal representative is unwilling or unable to act, any bookmaker's licence and bookmaking office licence held by the licensed bookmaker shall, unless the licences are revoked or are licences to which a disqualification order under Article 30 or 53 applies or the licences cease to be in force under Article 173, continue in force for the benefit of any person entitled in consequence of his death to a beneficial interest in the business carried on under the licences until—

(a) the expiration of a period of 2 months from the date of his death, or

(b) paragraph (8) becomes applicable by reason of the appointment of a personal representative,

whichever first occurs.

(10) The authority conferred on any person by virtue of paragraph (8) or (9) to carry on a business under a licence shall be suspended on the expiration of the period of 2 weeks from the date when he commenced to carry on that business unless during that period he has served notice that he is carrying on the business by virtue of that paragraph (and, if he is carrying it on by virtue of paragraph (8), the capacity in which he is doing so) [F4 upon—

(a) the clerk of petty sessions; and

(b) the district commander of the police district in which the bookmaker's licence was granted, or as the case may be, the licensed office is situated;]

but the authority, if so suspended, shall revive upon the service of such a notice.

F1 2004 NI 1

F2 Words in art. 15(8)(a) repealed (1.4.2016) by Insolvency (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c. 2), s. 28(2), Sch. 4; S.R. 2016/203, art. 2

F3 Words in art. 15(8) repealed (1.4.2016) by Insolvency (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c. 2), s. 28(2), Sch. 4; S.R. 2016/203, art. 2

F4 Words in art. 15(10) substituted (31.10.2016) by Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 (c. 9), s. 106(2), Sch. 1 para. 91(1) (with Sch. 8 para. 1); S.R. 2016/387, art. 2(k) (with art. 3)