Section 174: Casino premises licence
453.Casino premises licences will be available for “small”, “large” and “regional” casinos and will authorise the playing of casino games and equal chance games on the premises. Relevant definitions of these terms are set out in Part 1.
454.A casino premises licence will also authorise the provision of facilities for betting, where the licensee or a person authorised in writing by the licensee holds a relevant betting operating licence. Large and regional casino premises licences also authorise the provision of facilities for bingo, again, provided there is a valid bingo operating licence held by the person providing the activity. Provision of facilities for bingo may not be made in a small casino, but the Secretary of State has power to repeal this restriction by order.
455.Subsection (6) allows the Secretary of State to make regulations that impose mandatory conditions on casino premises licences in relation to equipment used for playing automated games of chance. Such equipment, which neither involves nor is linked to a game requiring human operation, is not a gaming machine provided it is used in accordance with Commission licence conditions set under this subsection (section 235(2)(i)). An example of this equipment is a roulette wheel which is completely mechanised, and works without the need for any croupier to rotate the wheel, spin the ball or accept stakes. Conditions may, in particular, limit the number of machines that may be provided in a casino and the number of player positions that may be provided for use of the machines.
456.Subsection (7) allows the Secretary of State to use her powers via regulation to control the non-gambling facilities provided in casinos by attaching licence conditions. This does not prevent the licensing authority imposing conditions on such matters under section 169, subject to any mandatory conditions which the Secretary of State may prescribe under section 167.
