DCMS releases proposed guidelines for physical UK casinos

The Department for Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) has published proposed new regulations for physical casinos. Specifically, the Casinos Regulations, which are set to come into effect on 22 July, will potentially increase the number of gambling machines venues can hold. 

The proposals, which need government approval, have been submitted as annexes to the Gambling Act 2005 and are especially concerned with “converted casino premises”. 

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When the Gambling Act 2005 was introduced, casinos that held licenses under the Gaming Act 1968 were able to convert their licenses. Converted casino premises were allowed the same entitlements to offer category B to D gambling machines. 

The requirements mean that these gambling establishments, in many cases, are limited to offering a maximum of 20 of these machines. Under the new guidelines, these venues will be permitted up to a maximum of 80 machines, although the number depends on the size of the venue and the total number of table games it has. 

Casinos will be required to submit updated floor plans, including specific details and dimensions of gaming floor space, when applying for the licence. 

The new calculations mean that a licensee must have at least 280 square metres of gambling floor area and that the number of gaming machines does not exceed five times the number of gaming tables in the venue, up to a maximum of 80. In cases where casinos share premises or are physically adjacent, they will share the allowance across the casinos. 

The regulations cover the number of gambling machines that fall under categories B, C, and D. Category B machines are those with a maximum £2 stake, while category C and D machines have a maximum £1 stake. 

The Gambling Act Review has previously stated that bingo halls and arcades will no longer be required to maintain an 80/20 ratio of category B/D machines. Under current rules, these venues must have four times as many C and D games as they do category B games. The review points out that this means that venues end up having to install and maintain machines simply to meet regulatory requirements, even where the machines are not popular with players. 

The UK gambling industry is undergoing regulatory changes across the board. The government has introduced stake limits for online slots, which means players aged between 18 and 24 can stake a maximum of £2 per spin, while players aged 25 and over can only stake up to £5. Features like autospin and bonus buy are not permitted, and games must meet minimum spin time requirements to meet regulations. 

At the same time, the government has said it recognises that the physical casino industry has remained stagnant while the online casino industry has boomed. Changes to the number and ratio of slot machine types in certain venues will, the government and other stakeholders hope, help to redress this balance and ensure that physical casinos are operating on a level playing field with their online competitors.