Gambling premises licence: council application, cost and conditions
Written by Sam Allcock · Last updated 23 August 2026 · Facts checked against the Gambling Act 2005 and legislation.gov.uk on the date above
A gambling premises licence is issued by your local council, not the Gambling Commission, and it's required for any physical site where gambling facilities are provided.
It's a separate application from your Gambling Commission operating licence, comes with its own fee, process and conditions, and you generally can't apply for one until you already hold, or have applied for, the relevant operating licence.
Short on time?Let us prepare your application - fixed fee, and we always show you the free official route first.
Get it done for you →This guide focuses specifically on the local, council-issued layer - the application process, the 28-day representation window, mandatory and default conditions, and the statutory fee caps. For how this fits alongside the national Gambling Commission operating and personal licences, see our gambling licence overview.
This is general information, not legal or regulatory advice. Premises licensing decisions are genuinely contested and locally variable - for anything specific to your site, speak to your local licensing authority or a gambling law specialist.
What is a gambling premises licence?
It's the authorisation, granted by "a licensing authority in whose area the premises are wholly or partly situated," that allows gambling facilities to be provided at a specific physical site (Gambling Act 2005, section 159(2), checked 23 August 2026).
You need one for premises such as betting shops, adult gaming centres, bingo halls, casinos and family entertainment centres - broadly, anywhere gambling actually happens on site, as opposed to online-only operations, which typically don't need a premises licence at all.
A premises licence can only be granted to someone who already holds, or has applied for, the corresponding Gambling Commission operating licence for that activity - the two are linked, not interchangeable.
Which councils issue premises licences?
| Nation | Licensing authority |
|---|---|
| England | District councils, county councils (where there's no district council), London borough councils, the Common Council of the City of London, and the Council of the Isles of Scilly |
| Wales | County councils and county borough councils |
| Scotland | A licensing board established under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 |
Source: Gambling Act 2005, section 2, checked 23 August 2026.
The three licensing objectives
Every premises licence decision is made against three statutory licensing objectives, and your application, and any conditions attached to it, will be judged against all three.
| Objective | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Preventing crime and disorder | Gambling must not be a source of, associated with, or used to support crime. |
| Fair and open gambling | Gambling must be conducted in a way that's genuinely fair and transparent to customers. |
| Protecting children and vulnerable people | Children and vulnerable people must be protected from being harmed or exploited by gambling. |
How to apply, step by step
- Confirm you hold, or have applied for, the relevant Gambling Commission operating licence - a premises licence can't stand alone.
- Check your council's statement of gambling licensing policy, including any cumulative impact policy that might apply in your area.
- Submit your application to the licensing authority for the area the premises sits in, alongside the required fee.
- Serve notice on each responsible authority - including the Gambling Commission, police, fire authority and others your council names - and display a public notice at the premises.
- Publish a notice in a local newspaper, generally within 10 working days of submitting the application.
- Wait through the 28-day representation period, during which responsible authorities and "interested parties" can object.
- If no valid representations are made, the licence is typically granted after the 28-day period; if representations are made, it goes to the council's licensing sub-committee to decide.
Source: Gambling Act 2005 (Premises Licences and Provisional Statements) Regulations 2007, SI 2007/459, checked 23 August 2026.
Mandatory and default conditions
Once granted, most premises licences carry two types of condition, and the difference matters because only one type can be changed locally.
| Type | Who can change it |
|---|---|
| Mandatory conditions | Set nationally for each premises type under section 167 of the Act; a licensing authority cannot remove or vary them. |
| Default conditions | Also set nationally under section 168, but a licensing authority can exclude a default condition and substitute a more, or less, restrictive one for your specific premises. |
Source: The Gambling Act 2005 (Mandatory and Default Conditions) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007, SI 2007/1409, checked 23 August 2026.
Cumulative impact - why your area matters
Some councils adopt a cumulative impact policy, where evidence shows that the number or density of gambling premises already in an area is undermining one of the three licensing objectives.
Where a council has adopted this kind of policy, it can decide it won't grant further new premises licences in the areas the policy covers - so checking your target council's current gambling licensing policy before you commit to a site is genuinely worth the time.
What does a gambling premises licence cost?
Fees are set locally by your council, but capped by a statutory maximum under the Gambling (Premises Licence Fees) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 (SI 2007/479, checked 23 August 2026).
These are statutory ceilings from 2007 - councils can, and often do, charge less, and we couldn't confirm whether the caps have since been updated, so treat them as a maximum rather than your exact fee. Check your council's current fee via the Gambling Commission →
✓ Statutory caps verified against SI 2007/479, checked 23 August 2026
These figures cover the premises licence fee only - you'll separately need your Gambling Commission operating licence fee, and any Personal Management or Personal Functional Licence fees for relevant staff; see our gambling licence guide for those figures.
Does a premises licence expire, and how do reviews work?
A gambling premises licence doesn't run for a fixed term in the way a personal licence does - it continues until it's surrendered, revoked or otherwise lapses, subject to paying the annual fee each year.
Anyone, not just a responsible authority, can apply to the licensing authority for a review of an existing premises licence if they believe it's undermining one of the three licensing objectives - reviews can result in the licence being varied, suspended, or in serious cases, revoked.
Frequently asked questions
Is a gambling premises licence the same as a Gambling Commission operating licence?
No. The operating licence is issued nationally by the Gambling Commission and covers the business; the premises licence is issued locally by your council and covers a specific physical site - you generally need both if you're providing gambling facilities from premises.
How long does the premises licence application process take?
There's a minimum 28-day representation period after a valid application is made; if no representations are received, the licence can typically be granted shortly after that period ends, but a contested application referred to a licensing sub-committee will take longer.
Can my council refuse to grant any new gambling premises licences in an area?
Yes, if it has adopted a cumulative impact policy based on evidence that existing gambling premises in that area are undermining a licensing objective - check your target council's current policy before committing to a site.
Can conditions on my premises licence be changed?
Default conditions can be varied by your licensing authority for your specific premises; mandatory conditions, set nationally, cannot be removed or changed by a council.
Who can ask for my premises licence to be reviewed?
Anyone, not just a responsible authority such as the police or the Gambling Commission, can apply for a review if they believe the premises is undermining one of the three licensing objectives.
apply for licence is an independent guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Gambling Commission, GOV.UK, any local council or any government body. This page is general information, not legal or regulatory advice - for anything specific to your business, contact your local licensing authority or a gambling law specialist. If gambling is causing you harm, free confidential support is available from the National Gambling Helpline.