Gaming Act 1968

Certificate of consent for purposes of application for transfer of licence

55 (1) An application for the transfer of a licence under this Act from one person to another shall be of no effect unless the Board have issued to the applicant a certificate consenting to his applying for a transfer of the licence to that other person, and that certificate is for the time being in force and the application is made within the period specified in the certificate.

(2) In the following provisions of this Schedule any reference to an application for the transfer of a licence under this Act shall be construed as not including any application which by virtue of the preceding sub-paragraph is of no effect.

56 (1) The provisions of this paragraph shall have effect in relation to any application to the Board for such a certificate of consent as is mentioned in the last preceding paragraph.

(2) The Board shall not issue a certificate on any such application if it appears to the Board that the person to whom the licence is proposed to be transferred (in this and the next following paragraph referred to as " the proposed transferee ")—

(a) not being a body corporate, is under twenty-one years of age, or

(b) not being a body corporate, is not resident in Great Britain or was not so resident throughout the period of six months immediately preceding the date on which the application was made, or

(c) being a body corporate, is not incorporated in Great Britain.

(3) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) of this paragraph, in determining whether to issue such a certificate of consent the Board shall have regard only to the question whether, in their opinion, the proposed transferee is likely to be capable of, and diligent in, securing that the provisions of this Act and of any regulations made under it will be complied with, that gaming on the premises specified in the licence will be fairly and properly conducted, and that the premises will be conducted without disorder or disturbance.

(4) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (3) of this paragraph the Board shall in particular take into consideration the character, reputation and financial standing—

(a) of the proposed transferee, and

(b) of any person (other than the proposed transferee) by whom, if the licence in question were transferred to the proposed transferee, the club specified in the licence would be maintained, or for whose benefit, if that licence were so transferred, that club would be carried on,

but may also take into consideration any other circumstances appearing to them to be relevant in determining whether the proposed transferee is likely to be capable of, and diligent in, securing the matters mentioned in that sub-paragraph.

(5) If on an application made under the last preceding paragraph the Board issue to the applicant a certificate consenting to his applying for the transfer of the licence to the proposed transferee, the certificate shall specify a period within which an application to the licensing authority for the transfer of the licence can be made.

57 (1) Where the Board have issued a certificate of consent in respect of the transfer of a licence under this Act, then, subject to the following provisions of this paragraph, the Board may revoke that certificate at any time before the licence has been transferred to the proposed transferee.

(2) The Board shall not revoke a certificate by virtue of this paragraph unless it appears to them either—

(a) that any information which, in or in connection with the application on which the certificate was issued, was given to the Board by or on behalf of the applicant for the certificate was false in a material particular, or

(b) that, since the certificate was issued, a licence under this Act held by the proposed transferee has been cancelled by virtue of a disqualification order made under section 24 of this Act or under this Schedule or in the exercise of the powers conferred on the licensing authority or the court by this Schedule.

(3) Where the Board determine to revoke a certificate by virtue of this paragraph they shall serve a notice on the holder of the certificate stating that the certificate is revoked ; and the revocation shall take effect on the service of that notice.

(4) Where the Board serve a notice under sub-paragraph (3) of this paragraph they shall send a copy of the notice to the clerk to the licensing authority, to the appropriate officer of police and to the appropriate collector of duty.