A brief Q&A regarding the legal side of having fruit machines on your premises.

These are:

• an operating licence and
• A personal management licence.
• Both of these licences are issued by the Gambling Commission.

Do you need an operating licence?

In the majority of cases, you’ll need an operating licence from the Gambling commission to manufacture, supply, install, maintain or adapt part of a fruit machines or gaming machine software.

There are some circumstances where you do not need a gaming machine operating licence. These are:

• prize gaming machines
• gaming machines (fruit machines, slot machines) at home
• pubs
• clubs
• fairs and travelling circuses
• unlicensed family entertainment centres

Single machine permits

If you amass or collect fruit machines as a private individual and you want to sell, repair or upgrade a single machine, you do not need an operating licence to do this. However, you do need a single machine permit from the Gambling Commission.

Single machine permits will only be issued in precise circumstances and are not intended for persons that are operating a commercial business. In cases such as these, a full operating licence is required.

Be conscious that further checks will be carried out to ensure that you qualify for a single machine permit. The application fee for a single machine permit is £25.

Do I need a personal management licence?

If you need an operating licence, you may also need a personal management licence, unless you meet the requirements as a small-scale operator. Anyone accountable for any of these areas of your establishment will need to apply for a PML:

• overall strategy and delivery of gambling operations
• financial planning, control and budgeting
• marketing and commercial development
• regulatory compliance
• gambling related IT provision and security

Folks who perform more than one of these administrative functions at the same time only need to hold one PML.

Finally, you do not need a premises licence for a gambling software business.