The Betting and Gaming Act, 1960
| DOI | 10.1177/002201836102500209 |
| Published date | 01 April 1961 |
| Date | 01 April 1961 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
The
Betting
and
Gaming Act,
1960
THIS Act is based upon
the
recommendations of
the
Royal
Commission on Betting, Lotteries and Gaming, 1949-
1951 (Cmd. 8190) and makes important changes in
the
law.
These
notes should be read with
the
warning
that
they are
necessarily condensed and so far as betting is concerned they
are limited to off-the-course betting; further, it is
not
intended
to deal with
the
powers, rights and duties of
the
Racecourse
Betting Control Board or with pool betting.
BETTING
Section 1of
the
Act repeals
the
old law contained in
the
Betting Acts, 1853
and
1874. Previously
the
only form of
betting off-the-course which was legal was betting on credit
where
the
bettor did
not
resort to
the
office of
the
bookmaker,
but
made his bet by other means, i.e. by post, telegram or
telephone.
The
new Act allows these methods to continue
and also permits cash betting either by post or in person.
If
persons resort to an office to bet
the
office must be licensed
under
s. 4 of
the
Act.
The
Act also provides for
the
registra-
tion and authorisation of bookmakers and their agents.
The
term "bookmaker" is defined in section 28 (I) and
covers not only a person who, on his own account carries on,
whether occasionally or regularly,
the
business of receiving
or negotiating bets,
but
also a person who does so as servant or
agent of another. By s. 2every person who acts as a bookmaker
on his own account is required to hold abookmaker's permit;
apermit is necessary even if he engages only in credit betting.
Apermit (which may be granted to a limited company)
entitles
the
holder to act as a bookmaker anywhere in Great
Britain.
If
aprincipal bookmaker wishes to use premises for
149
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