This section relates to members’ clubs, commercial clubs and miners’ welfare institutes.

The Gambling Act 2005 replaced the former system of Part II and Part III Registrations (issued by the Licensing Magistrates under the Gaming Act 1968) with 2 new permissions: 

• Club Gaming Permit – this entitles clubs to offer up to a total of 3 gaming machines of category B3A, B4, C and D plus facilities for equal chance gaming (subject to certain limits and such games as are prescribed by the Secretary of State in regulations) 
• Club Machine Permit – this entitles clubs to offer up to a total of 3 gaming machines of category B3A, B4, C and D. It will not however authorise the provision of any other facilities for gaming, (except for exempt gaming)

Within the City of York Council area there are no clubs with Part II registrations so if your members’ club offers gaming machines it will either have a part III Registration or have recently been issued with a Club Machine Permit by this authority.

Existing operators

Your Part III Registration will continue to be valid until its expiry date and will be for a specified number of category B4 machines as detailed on your registration certificate.

You will need to apply for a new permit at least 2 months before the expiry date of your current registration and then you will automatically be entitled to a Club Machine Permit.

Your application will only be refused if you have failed to submit any information which must be given when the application is made.

The application form is available to download from the right hand side of this page.

There is a fee of £100 for this procedure and all applications should be made to us at the address shown (cheques payable to City of York Council)

Once granted, the permit is valid for 10 years.

A renewal fee will apply at the end of this period.

Holders of this permit will have to pay an annual fee of £50.

This first annual fee must be paid to us within 30 days of the permit being issued.

New operators

If you wish to apply for gaming machines at your club you will need to make an application to us for the appropriate permit under the 2005 Act.

The application form is available to download from the right hand side of this page.

There is a fee of £200 for this procedure and all applications should be made to us at the address shown. (Cheques payable to City of York Council).

Once granted, the permit is valid for 10 years.

A renewal fee will apply at the end of this period.

Holders of this permit will have to pay an annual fee of £50.

This first annual fee must be paid to us within 30 days of the permit being issued.

Exempt gaming

Section 269 of the Gambling Act 2005 allows clubs to provide certain facilities for gaming without the need for a licence or permit. In order to qualify for this exemption the gaming must meet a number of conditions:

• It must be equal chance gaming.
• Stakes and prizes must comply with any limits set in regulations.
• The club must not deduct any amounts from sums staked or won.
• Any charge for participation must not exceed amounts set by the Secretary of State.
• The games played may only take place on one premises, so there may not be any linking of games between premises.
• In the case of members’ clubs, people may only participate in gaming if they have been a member (or applied or nominated for membership) at least 48 hours before playing, or are genuine guests of such a person.

Code of Practice

All clubs which provide gaming machines must comply with any relevant Code of Practice issued by the Gambling Commission under Section 24 of the Gambling Act 2005.

Details can be downloaded from the Gambling Commission website.

Gaming machine categories

Gaming machines fall into categories depending on the maximum stake and prize available.

Details of these categories can be downloaded from the Gambling Commission website.