Section 81: Credit and inducements

Gambling Act 2005 · 2005 c. 19View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 5: Operating Licences

A condition attached to an operating licence by virtue of section 75, 77 or 78 may, in particular, restrict or otherwise make provision about—

the giving of credit in connection with the licensed activities;
the making of offers designed to induce persons to participate, or to increase their participation, in the licensed activities;
participation in arrangements for inducing, permitting or assisting persons to gamble.

A non-remote casino operating licence or a non-remote bingo operating licence shall by virtue of this subsection be subject to the condition that the licensee may not—

give credit in connection with gambling, or
participate in, arrange, permit or knowingly facilitate the giving of credit in connection with gambling.

But the condition in subsection (2) shall not prevent the licensee from permitting the installation and use on the premises of a machine enabling cash to be obtained on credit from a person (the "credit provider") provided that—

the licensee has no other commercial connection with the credit provider in relation to gambling,
the licensee neither makes nor receives any payment or reward (whether by way of commission, rent or otherwise) in connection with the machine, and
any conditions about the nature, location or use of the machine attached by virtue of section 75, 77 or 78 are complied with.

In this section "credit" includes—

any form of financial accommodation, and
in particular, the acceptance by way of payment of a fee, charge or stake of anything other than—
cash,
a cheque which is not post-dated and for which full value is given, or
a debit card payment which is not post-dated and for which full value is given.

In subsection (4)(b)(iii) "debit card payment" means a payment—

debited against a person's banking account, and
made by means of a card which is not a credit-token within the meaning of section 14 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (c. 39).

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.