At the eve of the Easter Holidays, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has posted a special advice addressed to the fairground operators. The British regulatory body has called the above-mentioned operators to make sure that they run their activities in compliance with the rules set for buying, maintaining and operating gaming machines.
Considering the fact that the Easter break is the time when the fairground operators traditionally start their season, the UK Gambling Commission kindly reminded the operators to improve their knowledge of the rules applied for the different types of gaming machines. The gambling regulatory body of the UK also recommended fairground operators to comply with the rules, reminding them that compliance checks are soon to be carried out by local licensing authorities.
This is not the first time when the UK Gambling Commission is addressing fairground operators in the country. About a month ago, at the middle of March, the UKGC once again posted a reminder about the upcoming compliance checks conducted by the local licensing authorities.
Previously, the Programme Director of Enforcement and Intelligence at the UK Gambling Commission Richard Watson has commented that the regulator’s guide set out the permitted types of gaming machines, as well as the individuals who were allowed to work with them. Mr. Watson has also make a suggestion to fairground operators to check out the special leaflet provided by the Commission in order to make sure they were operating in compliance with the regulatory rules in the country.
Up to date, the low-stake fruit machines, also known as the category D machines, could be provided to customers by fairground operators along with crane grab machines and coin pushers. However, under the rules of the country’s licensing authorities, gaming machines from category B and C that offer higher stakes to the players and are normally available in pubs and arcades, are not allowed at fairgrounds.
Another important rule that fairground operators are required to comply with is that they must source their machines from suppliers that are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. Of course, all employees who work with the gaming machines at the fairgrounds are required to be at least 18 years old.
The UK Gambling Commission has provided all operators with detailed information about the rules for fairgrounds, which is available at the regulatory body’s website. Of course, it also offers thorough information about the stakes and prizes offered by the category D machines.
Gaming Machines Allowed at Fairgrounds
Currently, it is the Gambling Act of 2005 which regulates the gambling market of the UK. This, of course, includes all types of gaming machines provided, including the so-called fruit/slot machines. As mentioned above, the UK Gambling Commission has presented a special leaflet providing detailed information about the machines allowed to be provided by fairground operators to date.
Currently, travelling fairs are allowed to provide their customers only with low-stake machines from Category D. In other words, the Category D machines that are permitted to be offered by fairground operators include coin pushers, crane grabs or low-stake fruit machines.
Of course, category D machines can be offered only by operators who have been granted with a special operating license by the UK Gambling Commission, or own a valid single machine permit which covers one machine only per year.
Coin Pusher Style
The so-called coin pusher style machines provide players with the chance to make a maximum stake of £0.20 and win a maximum cash prize of £10. in other words, the largest note a player could insert in the machine is a note of £10, which makes the maximum prize that could be won £20. However, only £10 of this amount could be paid in cash, and the remaining part must be non-cash.
Crane Grab Style
When it comes to the Crane Grab Style machines, such machines are normally described as category D machines. They allow players to put a maximum stake of £1, with a maximum non-cash prize estimated to £50.
- Author
Daniel Williams
