Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Gambling Act 2005 (Limits on Prize Gaming) Regulations 2007 and shall come into force on 1st September 2007.

2.  In these Regulations “the Act” means the Gambling Act 2005.

Limits on participation fees

3.—(1) This regulation prescribes for the purposes of section 293(2) of the Act the maximum amounts that may be charged by way of participation fees for prize gaming (2).

(2) The amounts referred to in paragraph (1) are as follows—

(a)the participation fee charged for any one chance to win a prize in a game shall not exceed 50p;

(b)the aggregate amount of participation fees charged for any one chance to win a prize in a game shall not exceed £500.

(3) The limit specified in paragraph (2)(a) shall apply despite the fact that the chance provides the opportunity to win more than one prize.

Limits on prizes

4.—(1) This regulation prescribes for the purposes of section 293(4) of the Act the maximum amount in money or value that may be distributed or offered as prizes for prize gaming.

(2) The amounts referred to in paragraph (1) are as follows—

(a)where a prize for which a game is played is money, the amount of that prize shall not exceed—

(i)£50, where facilities for the gaming are provided in an adult gaming centre, and

(ii)£35, in all other cases.

(b)the aggregate amount or value of prizes for which a game is played shall not exceed £500.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations prescribe for the purposes of section 293(2) and (4) of the Gambling Act 2005 (“the Act”) the financial limits in respect of prize gaming provided under sections 289, 290 and 292 of the Act.

Regulation 3 imposes limits on the amount that may be charged for participating in a particular game. The participation fee which may be charged for any one chance to win a prize in a game shall not exceed 50p. Where in paying for a chance to win a prize in a game a person acquires an opportunity to win more than one prize then the limit is still 50p for that chance. For example, in a game of bingo, the purchase of one game card (the chance) may provide the person with three opportunities to win a prize (one line, two lines, full house), but the maximum participation fee for each game card is still 50p. There is a limit of £500 on the aggregate amount of participation fees that may be charged in a particular game.

Regulation 4 imposes limits on the amount or value of prizes that may be offered or distributed in a game. A money prize cannot exceed £35, except where the prize gaming is being provided in an adult gaming centre, in which case the limit is £50. The aggregate amount or value of prizes in a game cannot exceed £500.