Catalogue description Gaming Board for Great Britain: Minutes and Papers (GBD series)

The Gaming Board for Great Britain was appointed by the Home Secretary in November 1968 under the Gaming Act 1968, much of which did not come into operation until July 1970. Its functions are to consider applications for certificates of consent to applications to local licensing authorities for the licensing of premises for gaming, certificates for the supply and maintenance of machines and certificates for the staff of gaming and bingo clubs. It is also responsible for reviewing gaming in Great Britain and advising the Home Secretary and local authorities on the performance of their duties under the Act. The Board has an inspectorate responsible for visiting premises licensed for gaming. Its responsibilities were extended by the Pool Competitions Act 1971 and the Lotteries Act 1975.

The Gaming Act 1968 and the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976 set up a system of statutory regulation for gaming and lotteries. The 1968 Act (which was introduced to control the abuses which had followed the deregulation of gaming) enables gaming (comprising casinos, commercial bingo and the supply of gaming machines) to be carried on legally by commercial operations for profit within a tightly regulated system. The 1976 Act enables lotteries to be carried on by societies to assist good causes and by local authorities provided that statutory limits on prices and expenses are not exceeded. The Board itself is only concerned with the regulation of the larger society lotteries and those lotteries promoted by local authorities. Smaller society lotteries are regulated by local authorities. The Board is not responsible for regulating the National Lottery; this is done by the Director General of the National Lottery.

The Board's statutory functions under the 1968 and 1976 Acts are: (a) to ensure that those involved in organised gaming and lotteries are fit and proper to do so; (b) to ensure that gaming is run fairly and in accordance with the law; (c) to advise the Secretary of State on developments in gaming so that the law can respond to change.

The Board consists of a part time chairman and four other part time members. It is serviced by secretariat staff seconded from the Home Office, and Inspectorate staff who are employed by the Board. The National Lottery etc Act 1993 contained amendments to the 1976 Lotteries and Amusements Act which affected both the registration requirements for societies and the general rules under which both society and local authority lotteries are required to operate.

Responsibility for the Gaming Board was transferred from the Home Secretary to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in June 2001.