Gambling premises risk assessments

The Gambling Commission, the national regulator for gambling under the Gambling Act 2005, has introduced a social responsibility code within their licence conditions and codes of practice (LCCP).

Assessing safety risks

It requires gambling operators (those who hold non-remote operating licences) to assess the local risks to the licensing objectives posed by the provision of gambling facilities at each of their premises, and to have policies, procedures and control measures to mitigate those risks.

Gambling operators must carry out and document their risk assessment for each of their licensed premises to ensure they meet the requirements of this code provision or be in breach of the LCCP provisions.

Gambling operators must give regard to local information contained within our statement of licensing principles for gambling when undertaking new or reviewing existing risk assessments.

As the licensing authority for premises licence holders, we have produced a guide to undertaking local gambling risk assessments.

We worked with Coral Racing Limited to develop this guide, who provided an industry perspective on undertaking this new process.

The guide is aimed at assisting gambling operators and contains:

• information on the requirements of the risk assessment process, as detailed within the LCCP

• our views and expectations of gambling operators

• a template for a local gambling risk assessment

We have undertaken gambling research into local area vulnerability to gambling-related harm which was conducted in partnership with Manchester City Council and supported by the Local Government Association.

Gambling operators are expected to give regard to the research findings and ensure that appropriate mitigation via control measures have been identified within their assessments. 

Gambling risk assessment documents