News Release Page Title

8 September 2003

CONSULTATION ON NEW LAW TO ALLOW ON-COURSE SUNDAY BETTING

A new law to allow on-course Sunday betting was published today by the Rt Hon John Spellar, MP, the Minister with responsibility for Social Development.

The draft Betting and Gaming (Northern Ireland) Order 2003, which has been published for consultation, also includes changes to bring the local betting and gaming law more closely into line with the rest of the UK.

Announcing details of the draft Order the Minister said: "The proposed Order will provide a number of modest relaxations of legislative controls on betting and gaming in Northern Ireland, including a change to allow on-course Sunday betting.

"Racing on Sunday is already allowed and I know race goers and other racing interests will welcome the opportunity of on-course Sunday betting. This is a limited relaxation of the law on Sunday betting and the current prohibition on Sunday betting in bookmaking offices will remain. When the law is changed, people will be able to choose whether or not they wish to go to a racetrack and bet on a Sunday.

"The Rt Hon Jane Kennedy, MP, the Minister with responsibility for Employment and Learning, is also providing in the draft Order important new protection rights for track betting workers who do not wish to work on Sundays which will apply irrespective of age, length of service or hours of work.

"I look forward to receiving comments on the draft Order from a wide range of interests."

The Minister also confirmed that the draft Order will ease some of the present restrictions on the operation of bookmaking offices, betting on racetracks, retailing of football pools competitions, the operation of gaming machines, the notice and waiting periods for registration of clubs for gaming machine purposes and the advertising of bingo.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. The closing date for receipt of comments on the draft Order is 1 December 2003.

  2. Comments should be sent to:

    3. Department for Social Development
    Social Policy Unit
    4th Floor, Dundonald House
    Stormont
    Upper Newtownards Road
    Belfast
    BT4 3RA

    Tel: 028 9052 5098
    Fax: 028 9052 0889
    Text-phone: 028 905 0861

    E-mail: social.policy@dsdni.gov.uk

  3. Copies of the draft Order and its accompanying Explanatory Memorandum are available from the address above and the Department’s website, www.dsdni.gov.uk

  4. The draft Order will amend the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (NI) Order 1985 to:

    • allow on-course Sunday betting and provide employment protection rights for betting workers on tracks;

    • provide for initial applications for the grant and provisional grant of bookmaking office licences to be made to county courts, not magistrates’ courts as at present;

    • relax some of the existing restrictions on the operation of licensed bookmaking offices and allow the use of a maximum of two gaming machines, with all-cash prizes of up to £25;

    • remove the obsolete net annual value test for bookmaking offices;

    • allow bookmakers on tracks to take bets on any event, sporting or otherwise;

    • amend the restriction on registered pools promoters carrying on their businesses by post to enable the Department to take account of modern methods of transfer of information;

    • remove the restriction on the timing of association football matches (presently Saturday, Sunday or bank holidays) on which pools competitions may be retailed through premises;

    • reduce the notice and waiting periods for clubs seeking registration under the 1985 Order for gaming machine purposes from two years to one year;

    • remove all restrictions on the advertising of bingo;

    • allow amusements with prizes gaming machines to be operated with all-cash prizes;

    • allow the use of amusements with prizes gaming machines with all-cash prizes of up to £25 in amusement arcade-type premises subject to an age restriction of 18 on access to the premises or to designated areas within the premises;

    • as a protection, require that gaming machines in licensed premises deliver prizes directly from the machine;

    • allow gaming machines, with all-cash prizes of up to £25, to be used in licensed bingo clubs;

    • allow the occupier of a licensed track to engage in bookmaking on that track but with the safeguard that he would not be allowed to offer odds bets on the outcome of races on that track;

    • allow the use of permanent structures for bookmaking purposes on licensed tracks - to be used only when the public is admitted to the track for the purpose of attending horse or dog racing, and not to be used for bookmaking on races on that track;

    • allow the occupier of a licensed track to enter into commercial agreements for the lease of betting outlets on that track.

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