Skip to main content

Home Page > Business and Consumers > Licensing and street trading > Gambling and lotteries

Home Gambling and lotteries

Playing cards and betting chipsThe Gambling Bill received Royal Assent and became an Act of Parliament on 07 April 2005.

The Act modernises the law on gambling and provides for a unified regulator for gambling, the Gambling Commission (a link to their website is provided at the bottom of this page). This was formed out of the existing Gaming Board for Great Britain.

It introduces three licensing objectives which underpin the functions of the Commission and the Council.

There are three types of licence:

  • An Operator Licence, concerned with the management and conduct of gambling, issued and regulated by the Commission
  • A Personal Licence, for persons with key operational functions connected with the gambling business, issued and regulated by the Commission
  • A Premises Licence, for the property where the gambling takes place, issued and regulated by the Council.

The Act also regulates amusement with prizes machines and lotteries.

Information on current applications or licensed premises and conditions is available by searching the online public register.

Further information is available from the links below and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Gambling Commission websites.

Public register

Certain information relating to licences and applications is kept in a public register by the Licensing Authority.

This information can be inspected Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) at the offices of The London Borough of Redbridge, Perth Terrace, Ilford, Essex, IG2 6AT between the hours of 10.00 a.m. to noon and 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. Copies of entries can be obtained subject to payment of a fee.

Policy statement

The Gambling Policy statement, made under the Gambling Act 2005, states how the authority promotes the licensing objectives. The Council has a duty to keep its policy under review and take note of comments received about its policy.

You can obtain a copy of the policy by downloading the Gambling policy statement (PDF 348KB). 

Share this page: Was this page helpful?