Bingo halls

Various licenses are required for bingo halls and online bingo operations

Under the Gambling Act 2005, commercial bingo operators will require a bingo operating licence from the Gambling Commission and, where necessary, personal management licences.

Premises based bingo halls (non-remote) will then also have to apply for a bingo premises licence to the local authority where the premises are located. For online or remote bingo, the operating licence and personal licences will suffice.

Cash bingo is usually the main form of bingo operated in bingo halls with some operators offering prize bingo as an interval game. Prize bingo is often structured as Prize Gaming, which is also regulated under the Gambling Act 2005 and is structured as a game where the nature and size of the prize is not determined by the number of players or amount of stakes paid to participate.

Bingo halls may also hold a premises licence issued under the Licensing Act 2003.