This section relates to premises with a premise licence issued under the Licensing Act 2003 for the on-sale of alcohol. Pubs, restaurants and hotels can apply for either a Notification or Gaming Machine Permit – but only if they have a licensed bar.

Hotels and restaurants that are licence to serve  alcohol only with a meal will not be able to provide gaming machines on their premises.

Existing operators – holders of Section 34 permits

Your existing Section 34 permit will be treated as if it was a Licensed Premises Gaming Machine Permit issued under the new Gambling Act, unless you have made a transfer to change the name of the premises licence holder under the Licensing Act 2003.  The Gaming Machine Permit must be in the same name as the premise licence holder.

If you have made no transfer your section 34 permit will continue to be valid until its expiry date.

Before your Section 34 permit is due to expire you have 2 options to replace it depending on how many gaming machines you plan to offer.

Option 1 - Up to two gaming machines - Notification

Pubs and some other licensed premises (with a bar authorised to serve alcoholic drinks without food) have an automatic entitlement to 2 Category C or D gaming machines subject to a simple notification procedure.

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

There is a fee of £50 for this procedure and all applications should be made to us at the address shown (cheques payable to City of York Council)

Once notification has been made, the automatic entitlement is of unlimited duration or until the premises licence holder is transferred under the Licensing Act 2003 and then a new notification must be submitted by the new Premises Licence Holder.

Option 2 - More than 2 machines - Gaming Machine Permit  

Pubs and some other licensed premises (with a bar authorised to serve alcoholic drinks without food) which want to offer more than 2 Category C or D gaming machines will need to apply to us for a  Gaming Machine Permit at least 2 months before the date on which the Section 34 permit is due to expire.

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).

Your application will be granted if it mirrors your Section 34 Permit, however an application for more machines than your current entitlement will need to be considered on its merits.

Once granted, the permit is of unlimited duration but 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.

If the annual fee is not paid the permit lapses

The permit will be in the name of the current Premises Licence Holder and can be transferred or varied. 

New operators

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

Up to 2 gaming machines - Notification

For up to 2 category C or D machines the procedures and fee is the same as for existing operators (see above).

More than 2 gaming machines -  Gaming Machine Permit

Pubs and some other licensed premises (with a bar authorised to serve alcoholic drinks without food) which want to offer more than 2 category C or D gaming machines will need to apply to us for a Licensed Premises Gaming Machine Permit

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

There is a fee of £150 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 of unlimited duration but 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.

If the annual fee is not pay the permit lapses.

The permit will be in the name of the current Premises Licence Holder and can be transferred or varied.

Transfer of a Gaming Machine Permit

Whenever the licensed premises holder (who holds the premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003) changes, the new holder must apply to transfer the Licensed Premises Gaming Machine Permit.

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

There is a fee of £25 for this procedure and all applications should be made to us at the address shown (cheques payable to City of York Council).

Variation of a Gaming Machine Permit

You can apply to vary the number of machines on your premises but an application for more machines than your current entitlement will need to be considered on its merits and may or may not be granted.

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

There is a fee of £25 for this procedure and all applications should be made to us at the address shown (cheques payable to City of York Council).

Code of Practice

All alcohol licensed premises, 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.