Bookmaking (Licensed Offices) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2004 No. 258

BETTING, GAMING AND LOTTERIES

Bookmaking (Licensed Offices) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

Made

7th June 2004

Coming into operation

7th August 2004

The Department for Social Development, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Article 32(1) and (12) of the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985(1) and now vested in it(2) and of all other powers enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Bookmaking (Licensed Offices) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 and shall come into operation on 7th August 2004.

(2) In these Regulations –

“the Order” means the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985; and

“text” includes figures without words, as well as words, and words and figures.

Notices in licensed offices

2.—(1) The licensed bookmaker shall exhibit in a conspicuous manner and in a conspicuous place inside the licensed office –

(a) including a place near to the entrance of that office, and

(b) where practicable, in a window of that office so that it can be read from outside that office,

a notice stating that persons under the age of 18 are not admitted thereto.

(2) The licensed bookmaker shall exhibit in a conspicuous place inside the licensed office a notice setting out the terms on which he invites persons to bet in that office including –

(a) the amount of the various deductions that may be, or will be, made from winning bets,

(b) any maximum limit on the amount of winnings, and

(c) the procedure for the resolution of disputed bets.

Restrictions on advertisements

3.  Except as provided by regulation 4, no advertisement –

(a) which includes any of the matters set out in sub-paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of Article 32(11) of the Order, and

(b) which is published outside a licensed office otherwise than in a material form in any of the ways set out in heads (i) and (ii) of Article 32(12)(b) of that Order, and

(c) which consists of, or includes, text,

is permitted.

Advertisements permitted

4.—(1) To the extent that any of the matters set out in paragraph (2) would otherwise contravene the provisions of Article 32(11) of the Order, text in respect of all or any of them may nevertheless be included in an advertisement to which paragraphs (a) and (b) of regulation 3 apply.

(2) The matters referred to in paragraph (1) are –

(a) subject to paragraph (3), text indicating that the premises are, or give access to, a licensed office whether –

(i) the expression “licensed bookmaking office” or some other expression such as “licensed bookmaker” or “turf accountant” is used, and

(ii) the expression is included in the name of the licensed bookmaker or otherwise;

(b) in the case of premises giving access to a licensed office, text indicating where any such office may be found;

(c) text indicating the hours during which a licensed office is open;

(d) text indicating the facilities afforded to persons resorting to the licensed office concerned;

(e) text indicating the range of bets available in the licensed office concerned; and

(f) text providing information relating to any event in connection with which betting transactions may be or have been effected in the licensed office concerned, including information as to the odds available on any particular event.

(3) Text in respect of the matter referred to in paragraph (2)(a) is not permitted if it exceeds 3 words in length.

Revocations

5.  The following are hereby revoked –

(a) the Bookmaking (Licensed Offices) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(3); and

(b) the Bookmaking (Licensed Offices) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998(4).

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Social Development on 7th June 2004.

L.S.

Henry Johnston

A senior officer of the

Department for Social Development

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations require the display of certain notices inside a licensed bookmaking office and impose restrictions on advertisements in a non-material form published outside a licensed office.

Regulation 1 defines terms used in the Regulations.

Regulation 2 requires a licensed bookmaker to exhibit in a conspicuous place inside a licensed office certain notices and prescribes the form of such notices.

Subject to regulation 4, regulation 3 prohibits certain advertisements which are published outside a licensed office and consist of, or include, text.

Regulation 4 prescribes the form and content of advertisements which are permitted.

Regulation 5 revokes the Bookmaking (Licensed Offices) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 and the Bookmaking (Licensed Offices) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998.

(1)

S.I. 1985/1204 (N.I. 11); see Article 2(2) for the definitions of “the Department” and “regulations”

(2)

See Article 8(b) of and Part II of Schedule 6 to the Departments (Transfer and Assignment of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 1999 (S.R. 1999 No. 481)

(3)

S.R. 1987 No. 192

(4)

S.R. 1998 No. 190