Gaming Machines and Bingo Venues: Licensing Consultation

I am repeating the following written ministerial statement made today in the other place by my noble Friend, the Minister for Museums, Heritage and Gambling and DCMS Lords Minister, Baroness Twycross:

The family entertainment sector makes an important contribution to local communities, particularly in seaside towns, and bingo venues are a traditional cornerstone of the leisure sector enjoyed across the country. However, commercial pressures mean we have seen a number of closures of licensed family entertainment centres and bingo clubs in recent years. The Government are keen to explore ways to support both sectors, preserving the heritage of family-run amusement piers and bingo halls while supporting innovative and vibrant new offerings, and to ensure that the regulatory regime that applies to them is fit for purpose. Doing so will help to support our wider growth mission, and help to ensure a sustainable and socially responsible land-based gambling sector.

I therefore wish to inform the House that we have today published a consultation on category D gaming machines and licensing for bingo venues.

Family entertainment centres predominantly site category D gaming machines. These are low-stakes machines, categorised by the Gambling Commission as suitable for under-18s to play, and include seaside staples such as crane grabs and penny pushers. Stakes and prizes for category D machines have not changed since 2014, while inflation has limited the ability of operators to offer appealing prizes. As this category encompasses a wide variety of machines, we are seeking views on maintaining or increasing current stake and prize limits, in order to support commercial sustainability and operator investment in venues housing category D machines. In line with this, we are also seeking feedback on proposals to adjust the sub-categories for certain category D machines, to reflect new game mechanics and distinguish machines that more closely resemble adult gambling activities from lower-risk games. This will ensure that any changes to stakes and prizes to support growth in the sector are underpinned by an appropriate and proportionate framework.

The Government are also consulting on an age limit for certain category D gaming machines. The Gambling Act review concluded that machines which mirror adult slot machines and pay out in cash—also known as cash-out slot-style category D machines—should not be available to children. Therefore, we are proposing to make it a criminal offence to invite, cause or permit anyone under the age of 18 to play these particular types of machines. This builds on the existing voluntary commitment implemented in 2021 by Bacta, the amusement and gaming machine industry trade body, banning under-18s from playing this type of machine in their members’ venues, by introducing the same protections across the whole sector.

Recent years have seen change and innovation in the bingo sector: this includes new concepts combining bingo with nightlife, electronic terminals allowing customers to play on a tablet, and smaller premises emerging alongside traditional bingo clubs. While we are keen to support innovation and the continued popularity of bingo, there are a growing number of licensed bingo premises which predominantly site gaming machines and are difficult to distinguish from adult gaming centres.

To support the sector and provide clarity for customers in the changing landscape of land-based gambling, the Government are seeking views on measures to create a clearer distinction between adult gaming centres and bingo premises. This will ensure that all premises have a licence type that is appropriate to their offering. The key proposal we are consulting on is requiring a “bingo area”. This would occupy a minimum proportion of venue floor space, in all licensed bingo venues, where customers can enjoy a bingo game, whether they play on paper or a tablet, in a linked or a local game. This will make bingo the primary option within such venues, protecting the offering to customers and supporting the industry. It will also close the loophole that permits the consumption of alcohol in machine-led venues, when this is prohibited in adult gaming centres. We are also consulting on rules for the bingo area, including prohibiting larger gaming machines and requiring a minimum number of positions for bingo.

I would encourage those in this House who care strongly about gambling policy, as well as relevant stakeholders, to share their views through this consultation. I will deposit a copy of the consultation in the Libraries of both Houses.

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