Betting Control Act 1954

Nothing in this Act authorises a bookmaker, or the employee, licensed manager or agent of a bookmaker, to bet or carry on business as such on a racecourse without first having obtained a permit to do so from the committee or other authority controlling it.

Subject to this section, the committee or other authority may grant permits to do so subject to such conditions as the committee or other authority thinks fit, but to such persons only as are the holders of a licence authorising the carrying on of that activity under section 11A, 11B, 11C or 11D and, where appropriate, endorsed for the purposes of section 4B.

No bookmaker shall bet or carry on business as such on a racecourse, except on such parts of it as are specially set apart for that purpose by the committee or other authority controlling it, and then only (except as regards betting on sporting events as authorised and approved under section 4B) —

during any day on which a race meeting is conducted at the racecourse; or

on other days, at times approved by both the Commission and the committee or other authority controlling the racecourse.

Subject to subsection (3b), no bookmaker shall bet or carry on business as such on a racecourse under subsection (3) unless a steward is present at the racecourse while that betting or business is carried on to supervise the conduct of the betting or business.

A bookmaker may take bets —

by means of telephone betting in accordance with the regulations; or

by means of internet betting in accordance with the regulations,

A steward may —

permit a bookmaker who is a natural person to use a licensed manager or a licensed employee, being a manager or employee specifically nominated to and approved by that authority for that purpose —

as substitute bookmaker on behalf of the bookmaker where that bookmaker is absent on account of sickness, leave or other circumstances acceptable to that authority; or

as the agent of that bookmaker to operate a second stand, or in another approved area, on behalf of that bookmaker at that racecourse, either generally or on a particular occasion, whether or not subparagraph (i) applies; or

as the agent of that bookmaker, to operate on behalf of that bookmaker at that racecourse notwithstanding the absence of the bookmaker, in the event of there otherwise being, in the opinion of that authority, insufficient bookmakers to meet public demand;

in respect of all or any of the types of betting authorised by the licence, permit the carrying on of business and the making of bets at that race course by a bookmaker.

A steward may —

permit a licensed manager who is carrying on the business of a bookmaker that is a partnership or a body corporate to use a licensed employee, being an employee specifically nominated to and approved by that authority for that purpose —

to act as a licensed manager of the partnership or body corporate where the manager is absent on account of sickness, leave or other circumstances acceptable to that authority; or

as the agent of the partnership or body corporate to operate a second stand, or in another approved area, on behalf of that partnership or body corporate at that racecourse, either generally or on a particular occasion, whether or not subparagraph (i) applies; or

as the agent of the partnership or body corporate, to operate on behalf of that partnership or body corporate at that racecourse notwithstanding the absence of the licensed manager, in the event of there otherwise being, in the opinion of that authority, insufficient bookmakers to meet public demand; or

as the agent of the partnership or body corporate, in circumstances approved by the Commission;

in respect of all or any of the types of betting authorised by the licence, permit the carrying on of business and the making of bets at that racecourse by a licensed manager of the bookmaker.

The committee or other authority controlling a racecourse shall —

upon request, furnish to the Commission a plan showing —

the situation of any betting ring or approved area, or any proposed betting ring or approved area, on the racecourse; and

the positions and numbers of the stands to be allotted, and to whom they are allotted;

not permit —

any person to carry on the business, or any aspect of the business, of a bookmaker on that racecourse unless the person holds a licence so to do under this Act; or

any bookmaker to bet or offer to bet from a position other than the betting ring or an approved area and at the stand allotted by the racing club; or

any person to bet, or offer to bet, with any person other than a bookmaker;

ensure that —

any duplicate record, or other betting material, required to be delivered to a person authorised by the racing club to receive it is duly received at the prescribed time by a person so authorised; and

duplicate records are legible and complete, including any registered sheet number.

Where an application by a licensee to the committee or other authority controlling a racecourse for a permit is refused under this section, or the permit of a licensee is cancelled or suspended, the committee or other authority controlling the racecourse to which that application or permit related shall forthwith inform the Commission, in writing, of —

the fact of the refusal, cancellation or suspension and the date it took effect; and

their intentions in relation to applications for future permits made by that applicant or licensee.

RWWA shall report to the Commission, as soon as is practicable, the result of any hearing or appeal conducted under the RWWA Act relating to —

improper conduct; or

a breach of this Act or of the rules of wagering as defined in the RWWA Act,