Sunday, January 14, 2007

New laws for licensing gambling are to be introduced in the borough of Great
Yarmouth - and affected businesses can get their applications in from May.
The new national gambling licensing regime, to be administered in Great
Yarmouth by the Borough Council, will come into effect from September 1.
Applications can be submitted from May onwards for premises licences and
permits. The Gambling Act 2005, regulations made under the Act and advice
from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport provide the framework for
the new regulatory system. Local authority staff are already gearing
themselves up for additional work and Great Yarmouth Council is providing
training to other councils in Norfolk and Suffolk. The council is also
arranging training sessions in the early New Year for local solicitors, and
for people connected with the gambling industry. Chris Skinner, head of
member and legal services, said: "This is a major new responsibility for the
Borough Council. "Because we have so many gambling businesses in the borough
there is a lot for staff to get to grips with. Not many councils have our
mix of a horse racing track, a dog track, casinos, amusement arcades betting
shops and bingo halls." The introduction of the new arrangements follows
hard on the heels of the implementation of the new licensing regime for
pubs, clubs and entertainment premises in late 2005. "The new system was
introduced smoothly in Great Yarmouth and both licensees and the public have
quickly got used to it. We hope that by providing training sessions for
people involved in the gambling trade, whether they be arcade or betting
shop owners, or people wanting gaming machines in their pubs, it will help
us all to implement the new regime successfully."