Explanatory note

Section 236 of the Gambling Act 2005 (“the Act”) requires regulations to be made defining four classes of gaming machine, to be known as Categories A, B, C and D. “Gaming Machine” is defined in section 235 of the Act. These Regulations provide the necessary definitions for each category, A to D. These Regulations also provide definitions for four sub-divisions of the Category B machine, to be known as sub-categories B1, B2, B3 and B4.

The definitions contained in these Regulations operate by reference to a maximum amount a person can pay to use a gaming machine once, and a maximum prize which can be won as a result of using a gaming machine once.

Regulation 3 defines a Category D gaming machine and does so partly by reference to whether the machine offers money or non-money prizes, or a combination of both.

Regulation 4 defines a Category C gaming machine.

Regulations 5 and 6 define four sub-categories of Category B machine, and make provision for determining to which sub-category of Category B references in the Act to Category B shall be treated as referring.

Regulation 7 defines a Category A machine as any machine which is not a Category B, C or D machine.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment of the costs and benefits of these Regulations is available from the Gambling and National Licensing Division, Department for Culture Media & Sport, 2-4 Cockspur Street, London, SW1Y 5DH, telephone: 020 7211 6200, email: [email protected].