🎲 Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council

This entity is a local authority in England that holds an operating licence from the Gambling Commission in Great Britain. Its licensed activities relate to the provision of gambling services in connection with its statutory and ancillary functions, rather than to commercial consumer-facing gambling brands. The licence is currently recorded by the Gambling Commission as active.

The authority was formed on 1 April 2019 through the merger of the former Bournemouth Borough Council, Christchurch Borough Council and Borough of Poole, as part of local government reorganisation in Dorset. It functions as a unitary authority, exercising the combined responsibilities of district and county councils within its area. In addition to its regulatory role as a licensing authority under the Gambling Act 2005, it holds its own operating licence in order to conduct specific gambling-related activities that fall within the scope of national regulation.

Licensing and Operations

The organisation holds a Gambling Commission operating licence. According to the Gambling Commission public register, the licence is active and authorises the authority to carry out specified forms of gambling activity. Local authorities typically require such licences where they operate or promote certain types of gambling products or services that go beyond the scope of purely local-authority-regulated activity.

The operating licence is separate from, and in addition to, the authority’s role as a licensing authority for premises-based gambling under the Gambling Act 2005. As a licensing authority, it is responsible for issuing premises licences, permits and notices for betting shops, bingo premises, adult gaming centres, family entertainment centres and certain other land-based gambling activities within its geographical area, as well as for publishing and maintaining a local gambling policy. These licensing-authority functions derive from statute and do not themselves require a Gambling Commission operating licence.

The Gambling Commission’s public register entry lists the authority’s trading names and associated domain names that fall under the scope of its operating licence. These details identify the names and online channels through which any licensed gambling activity is provided or promoted. The register records the licence as active, with no indication on the register page of suspension, revocation or surrender.

Regulatory History

The Gambling Commission public register entry for this licensee does not list any regulatory sanctions, financial penalties, suspensions or licence revocations in relation to its operating licence. There is no record on the register page of formal regulatory action such as licence reviews or agreed regulatory settlements.

As a licensing authority, the organisation is also designated as a responsible authority for the purposes of the Gambling Act 2005 within its own area. In that capacity, it may participate in reviews of premises licences and enforcement activity at local level. These functions are distinct from its status as a Gambling Commission licensee and are exercised under the statutory framework applicable to all licensing authorities in Great Britain.

The current status of the Gambling Commission operating licence is recorded as active, and no changes of ownership or transfers of the licence are indicated on the public register entry.