Citation, commencement and interpretation

1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Gambling Act 2005 (Exempt Gaming in Clubs) Regulations 2007 and shall come into force on 1st September 2007.

(2) In these Regulations—

“the Act” means the Gambling Act 2005;

“poker” includes any version of that game, whatever name it is called; and

“relevant club” means—

(3) For the purposes of these Regulations, a reference to a day is a reference to a period of 24 hours beginning at midday.

Requirements in relation to poker stakes

2. —(1) This regulation applies to the provision of facilities for games of poker under section 269 of the Act (exempt gaming) and prescribes, for the purposes of subsection (2)(a) of that section, requirements in relation to amounts that may be staked.

(2) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), the amount that may be staked by a person on any game of poker must not exceed £10.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), the aggregate of the amounts that may be staked on games of poker in any one day must not exceed £250.

(4) The aggregate of the amounts that may be staked on games of poker in any period of seven days must not exceed £1,000.

Requirements in relation to poker prize

3. For the purposes of section 269(2)(b) of the Act, the maximum amount or value of a prize that may be won in any game of poker is £250.

Participation fees where no club gaming permit is held

4. —(1) This regulation prescribes the maximum participation fee( 5 ) that may be charged for the purposes of section 269(4) of the Act, where a relevant club does not hold a club gaming permit( 6 ).

(2) The maximum participation fee that a relevant club may charge a person in respect of entitlement to participate in a particular kind of game on any one day is—

(a) £18 in respect of bridge or whist, if the game is played on a day on which no facilities for any kinds of gaming (other than bridge or whist) are provided by the relevant club on that day; and

(b) in any other circumstances—

(i) subject to paragraph (ii), £1; or

(ii) in the case of a commercial club that holds a club machine permit( 7 ), £3.

Participation fees where a club gaming permit is held

5. Where a members’ club or miners’ welfare institute holds a club gaming permit, the maximum participation fee that it may charge a person in respect of entitlement to participate in a particular kind of game in any one day is—

(a) £20 (exclusive of value added tax) in respect of bridge or whist, if the game is played on a day on which no facilities for any kinds of gaming (other than bridge or whist) are provided by the relevant club on that day; and

(b) £3 (exclusive of value added tax) for equal chance gaming( 8 ) in any other circumstances.