Pub news or Gambling news....or both!

Earlier this year Greene King applied for and was refused the grant of an Operating Licence as the first step to offer wider Bingo in its Pubs. There is of course the ability for all pubs with the appropriate alcohol premises licence to offer bingo as "exempt" Gambling as long as strict restrictions (not least in relation to stakes and prizes) are observed. Greene King were seeking to go further but The Gambling Commission refused the application.

We now understand that the decision has been made and in fact an appeal lodged against that refusal. A spokesperson for Greene King is reported as saying;

"We applied for a licence to explore how we might improve the game of bingo, which is already played in many of our pubs. This would enable us to trial new games with our customers, giving them more choice and putting our pubs even more firmly at the heart of their communities".

The spokesperson went on to say;

"We were disappointed with the Gambling Commission's decision not to grant us a licence and we are therefore appealing that decision."

It is an interesting development and it will undoubtedly be a landmark in the area of Commercial Bingo in pubs.