The Statement of Principles sets out how we deal with licence applications.
Apply for a gambling permit
If you want to have gaming machines on your premises you will have to get a permit or serve a notice on us. There are 5 types of permits and one notification:
Unlicensed family entertainment centre gaming machine permit
If you run an unlicensed family entertainment centre you can apply for a permit to have an unlimited number of category D machines.
Complete the application form and return it to us by email or post:
Club machine permits and gaming permits
If you run a social club or miner's welfare institutions you can apply for either a club machine permit to have up to 3 machines of B3A, B4, C or D gaming machines.
If you want to include prize gaming you can apply for a gaming permit.
Application forms can be sent to us by email or post.
Alcohol licensed premises
Where a premises licence has been issued 'wholly or mainly for the sales or consumption of alcohol' a premises licence holder can be authorised to have 1 or 2 machines of category C or D.
Complete the notification form to notify us of their intention to have these machines.
If a premises licence holder wants to have more than two machines of category C or D, you'll need to apply for a gaming machine permit.
Application forms can be sent to us by email or post.
Prize gaming permit
You can apply for a prize gaming permit to authorise the provision of facilities for gaming with prizes on specified premises.
Complete the application form and return it to us by email or post:
Cost and payment
View the gambling permit fees. Some permits may also have an annual fee.
Payment can be sent by cheque, BACs or paid by card over the phone by calling 01258 484387.
Apply for a temporary use notice (TUN)
A TUN allows the use of a premises for gambling where there is no premises licence in force and a holder of a gambling operator's licence wishes to use the premises temporarily for providing facilities for gambling.
The only activities permitted under a TUN are the provision of facilities for any form of equal chance gaming where those participating in the gaming are taking part in a competition which is intended to produce a single overall winner. This does not include providing such facilities in circumstances where any person participating in the gaming does so by means of a gaming machine.
How to apply
Complete the application form and return it to us by email or post:
Forms must be received at least 3 months and 1 day before the day of the gambling event.
Copies of the notice must be sent to the responsible authorities (Gambling Commission, Dorset Police and HM Revenue and Customs) within 7 days of the date of the notice.
Cost and payment
A TUN costs £250.
The fee may be sent by cheque, paid by BACs or paid by card over the phone by calling 01258 484022 during normal office hours.
After you've applied
The licensing authority and the responsible authorities are permitted to make objections in relation to a TUN. Objections must be made within 14 days of the date of the notice, a hearing will then be held to determine the Notice.
If no objections are received, the event can proceed as applied for. A copy of the notice must then be displayed on the premises for the duration of the event.
The same set of premises may not be the subject of a TUN for more than 21 days in any 12 month period but may be the subject of several Notices provided that the total does not exceed 21 days.
Should this period be exceeded we will issue a counter-notice that has the effect of stopping the TUN coming into effect; failure to comply with the counter-notice will be an offence.
Apply for an occasional use notice (OUN)
An OUN allows licensed betting operators to use tracks for short periods for conducting betting. There is not cost for an OUN.
The notice must:
- be served by a person who is responsible for the administration of events on the track or by an occupier of the track
- only be used for 8 days or less in a year (the event can be on consecutive days as long as the limit of 8 days in a year is not exceeded)
- be served on the local authority and copied to the chief officer of police for the area in which the track is located
- specify the day on which it has effect
Complete the application form and return it to us by email or post:
Read the guidance for using our online application.
Counter-notices or objections can't be submitted as long as the notice doesn't result in betting facilities being available for more than 8 days in a year.