Fun Casinos & The Law

The below is an extract from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport - Casino Nights Under the Gambling Act 2005 and explains the legalities about hosting your own fun casino night.

Casino Nights under the Gambling Act 2005

Casino gaming includes games like roulette and blackjack where players compete against the "house" or a banker, rather than against one another on equal terms.

Non-commercial casino gaming

Organisations that wish to provide casino games for charitable or other non-commercial purposes (e.g. to raise funds for a club or society) may do so under the prize gaming provisions in Part 14 of the Act. Non-commercial gaming of this kind may only take place at events where none of the proceeds from the event itself are used for private gain. For these purposes, the proceeds of an event constitute the sums raised by its organisers (including sums raised by way of participation fees, sponsorship, commission from traders, or otherwise) minus the costs reasonably incurred in organising the event. However, sums raised by other persons will not form part of the proceeds of the event and so may be appropriated for private gain. An example would be refreshments provided at the event by an independent third party.

Non-commercial gaming may be an ancillary activity or the only or principal purpose of the event. To qualify as prize gaming, the prizes (whether in cash or in kind) should be put up in advance, and must not be dependent on the number of players taking part or the amount of money staked. The players participating in non-commercial gaming must also be told what "good cause" is to benefit from the profits from the gaming. There are no statutory limits on stakes, prizes, participation fees or other charges for this type of non-commercial gaming. No licence, permit or other form of permission is required to operate this kind of gaming provided that the statutory conditions are complied with.

NB. This statement is intended to provide a general explanation of the circumstances in which "casino nights" can be operated under the Gambling Act 2005. It does not deal with every detail of the legislative provisions, or with the individual circumstances of a particular case. This fact sheet does not constitute legal advice and is not a substitute for the relevant legal provisions. If you are in any doubt about the legality of any gambling activities that you intend to promote or for which you intend to provide facilities, you are strongly advised to seek independent legal advice.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport - Casino Nights Under the Gambling Act 2005