1. Background

The Gambling Act 2005 is the primary legislation governing gambling activity in Great Britain. It modernised and consolidated previous laws, and from full implementation in 2007 it brought most commercial gambling under a single national regulatory framework. The Act also established the Gambling Commission as the national regulator and provided local authorities with significant powers to manage gambling provision within their areas.

1.1 Licensing Objectives

The Act sets out three statutory licensing objectives, which guide the work of the Gambling Commission, licensing authorities, and operators:

1. Prevent gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder, or being used to support crime
2. Ensure gambling is conducted in a fair and open way
3. Protect children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling

These objectives underpin all regulatory decision-making and shape local licensing policies.

1.2 Requirement for a Statement of Principles

Under Section 349 of the Gambling Act 2005, each licensing authority must publish a Statement of Licensing Principles (policy statement), applicable for a typical three-year cycle

This policy:

• Sets out the local approach to gambling regulation
• Ensures operators understand regulatory expectations
• Allows authorities to reflect local risks and conditions

The Gambling Commission encourages each authority to prepare a Local Area Profile, such as this, to help identify localised risks and promote the licensing objectives.