Apply for a gambling premises licence

If you wish to operate a gambling business in Preston, you must apply for a gambling premises licence.

Please note: you must first apply for an operator licence and any relevant personal licences from the Gambling Commission.

The Gambling Commission website

Types of gambling premises

You need to have a gambling premises licence, required by the Legislation.gov - Gambling Act 2005, to operate the following premises:

• arcades (excluding unlicensed Family Entertainment Centres)
• betting
• bingo
• casinos
• gaming machine manufacturers and suppliers
• gambling software providers
• lottery operators and external lottery managers (excluding small society lotteries)
• British based remote gambling operators
• National Lottery

For requirements around the types of gambling premises, please visit gambling premises types and requirements.

Who can apply?

To apply for a premises licence you must:

• be 18 years old or older
• hold or have applied for operating license for the relevant gambling activity
• be authorized to make such an application (If applying on behalf of a company or partnership)

To find out whether an application for a premises licence would be granted please visit gambling licence provisional statement.

How much will it cost?

For additional costings please visit the Gambling fees page. 

Gambling fees

Payment can be made through the licensing office on 01772 906910 (option 1) using a debit or credit card.

How to apply

To apply for a gambling premises licence please complete the premises licence application form (PDF) [220KB] and return to us at:

Licensing Services
Environmental Health Department
Town Hall
Lancaster Road
Preston
PR1 2RL

What should I include with the form?

• The correct gambling fees
• Plans drawn to a suitable scale

Publishing a notice of application

Once you have submitted your application, you need to publish notice of your application in the following ways:

1. a notice outside the premises for 28 consecutive days where it can be read conveniently using the Governments prescribed, Premises licence - notice to be published (PDF) [19KB] .

2. A notice in a newspaper or newsletter of local relevance, on at least one occasion within ten days of the application being made. This should contain the same information as the notice placed on the premises.

Notifying the responsible authorities

A copy of the application must be sent to all responsible authorities within seven days of the application being made (unless made online). The responsible authorities are:

​What if a valid representation is made?

If valid representations are received a committee hearing will be held to determine whether the application is granted or rejected.

Appealing a rejected application

You have 21 days to appeal against a rejection or grant of a premises licence from receipt of the notice of decision from the licensing authority

The appeal should be lodged with Preston Magistrates Court. Information about the court can be found at GOV.UK - Preston Magistrates' Court.

When will I receive my licence?

Applications can be granted after a minimum period of twenty-eight days assuming no valid representations are received.

Annual licence fees

The first annual fee is due within 30 days of your licence being issued.

You will pay annually thereafter. A reminder letter will be sent out to you one month before the due date detailing how to make payment.

Premises licence changes

Once a premises licence has been granted you can make an application to vary a gambling premises licence or transfer a gambling premises licence to a new owner.

Premises licence reviews

If you are considered to be in breach of any licence conditions, you could be subject to a gambling premises licence review.