Gaming machine permit fee
Whether you rely on the automatic two-machine entitlement or hold a full Licensed Premises Gaming Machine Permit, the council charges an annual fee to keep it in force.
Whether you rely on the automatic two-machine entitlement or hold a full Licensed Premises Gaming Machine Permit, the council charges an annual fee to keep it in force. It is billed separately from your alcohol premises licence fee and easy to overlook because it is small.
Non-payment ends the entitlement or permit. Machines left on the floor after that are being made available unlawfully under the Gambling Act 2005, regardless of whether you meant to let the fee lapse.
Councils rarely invoice this proactively — the duty to pay on time is yours.
Who this is for
Any licensed venue with gaming machines under the automatic entitlement or a full permit.
What you’ll hold
- Annual fee payment receipt
Watch out for
- Assuming this is bundled into the premises licence annual fee. It is a separate charge, on its own date, that the council does not always chase.
- Missing the payment and only finding out when a licensing officer questions the machines on a routine visit — by then they have already been unlawfully available.
- Not cancelling the fee (and removing the machines) when trade drops off, so it keeps renewing for machines nobody uses any more.
Sources
- Gambling Commission — Gaming machines in alcohol-licensed premises checked 2026-09-08
- GOV.UK — Find your local council checked 2026-09-02
See also
- Notify the council about gaming machines— this becomes part of getting open →
This is item 24 of 60 in the free UK Compliance Calendar. See the whole list →