Betting and Gaming Duties Act 1981

[F121 Gaming machine licence duty.U.K.

(1)Except in the cases specified in Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act, no [F2amusement machine]] (other than [F3an excepted machine]) shall be provided [F4for play] on any premises situated in [F5the United Kingdom] unless there is for the time being in force [F6a licence granted under this Part of this Act with respect to the premises [F7or the machine].

(2)Such a licence shall be known as [F8an amusement machine licence][F9and, if it is granted with respect to a machine, rather than with respect to premises, as a special amusement machine licence.]]

[F10(3)[F11An amusement machine licence]may be granted for a period of a month, or of any number of months not exceeding twelve, beginning on any day of any month]

[F12(3AA)A special amusement machine licence shall not be granted except where—

(a)the machine with respect to which it is granted is of a description of machine for which special amusement machine licences are available;

(b)such conditions as may be prescribed by regulations made by the Commissioners are satisfied in relation to the application for the licence, the machine and the person by whom the application is made; and

(c)the licence is for twelve months.

(3AB)Special amusement machine licences shall be available for amusement machines of each of the following descriptions—

(a)machines that are not gaming machines; and

(b)small prize machines.]

[F13(3A)For the purposes of this section an excepted machine is—

(a)a two-penny machine, or

[F14F15(b)a [F16ten-penny machine]] which is a small prize machine; or

[F14(c)a fifty-penny machine that is not a gaming machine.]]

[F17(3B)For the purposes of this section an amusement machine is a fifty-penny machine if, and only if—

(a)where it is a machine on which a game can be played solo, the price for a solo game does not exceed 50p; and

(b)where it is a machine on which a game can be played by more than one person at a time, the price to participate in such a game does not exceed 50p.]

(3C)For the purposes of this section the price for a solo game on a machine does not exceed [F1850p] if the denomination or aggregate denomination of the coin or coins that must be inserted into the machine to play the game solo does not or, where the machine provides differing numbers of games in different circumstances, cannot exceed [F1850p] for each time the game is played.

(3D)For the purposes of this section the price to participate in a game on the machine for two or more players does not exceed 50p if the denomination or aggregate denomination of the coin or coins that must be inserted into the machine to play the game simultaneously with more than one player does not exceed or, where the machine provides differing numbers of games in different circumstances, cannot exceed 50p per player for each time the game is played.

(3E)For the purposes of this section a game is played solo if it is played by one person at a time (whether or not against a previous player).

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