Club gaming and machine permits

Qualifying clubs may apply for either a Club Machine Permit or a Club Gaming Permit, which have the following benefits:

Club Machine Permits (CMPs)

Available to members’ clubs, miners’ welfare institutes, and commercial clubs.

Allows the club to offer:

• equal chance gaming such as poker and bingo
• up to three gaming machines in total of categories B3A, B4, C or D, but by agreement, only one machine can be of category B3A (B3A not permitted for commercial clubs).

Restrictions on the gaming are:

• limit on stakes and prizes for bingo is £2,000 in any seven-day period
• limit on stakes for poker - £10 per person per game, within a premises limit of £250 in stakes per day and £1,000 per week
• limit on prizes for poker - £250 per game
• limit on participation fees per person per day - £18 for bridge/whist (if played on a day on which no facilities of any kind of gaming (other than bridge or whist) are provided by the relevant club on that day), £1 for other gaming (including poker), £3 where it’s a commercial club.

Club Gaming Permits (CGPs)

Available to members’ clubs or miners’ welfare institutes, but not commercial clubs.

Allows the club to offer:

• equal chance gaming such as poker and bingo
• games of chance (pontoon and chemin de fer only)
• up to three gaming machines in total of categories B3A, B4, C or D, but by agreement, only one machine can be of category B3A.

Restrictions on the gaming are:

• no limits on stakes and prizes, except bingo where there is a stakes and prizes limit of £2,000 in any seven-day period
• limit on participation fees per person per day - £20 for bridge and or whist (if played on a day on which no facilities of any kinds of gaming (other than bridge or whist) are provided by the relevant club on that day), £3 for other gaming (including poker) in any other circumstances.

Further information can be found on the Gambling Commissions website.

Club Types

Members' clubs

Members' clubs must have at least 25 members and be established or conducted mainly for purposes other than gaming.

The club should not be established to make a commercial profit and should be controlled by its members.

Commercial clubs

These have the same characteristics as members’ clubs, except that they are established to make a profit. 

Application Procedure

A club machine permit or club gaming permit lasts for ten years, unless it is granted under the fast-track procedure, in which case the permit shall last until such a time that it is revoked, lapsed or is surrendered. 

Fees

The annual fee is payable for all club permits. The first fee is due 30 days after the permit was granted, and then on the anniversary of the grant of the permit each year. Permits may be revoked if the annual fee is not paid.

How to apply

You can make an application by filling in in our application form and returning it to us via email at [email protected] with the relevant fee.