The Gambling Act 2005 (Commencement No. 6 and Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Order 2026

This opening states the legal status of the document, noting it is being issued because a defect was found in a previous Statutory Instrument from 2025 (S.I. 2025/734).

The instrument is classified under Betting, Gaming, and Lotteries and is officially designated as Statutory Instrument 2026 No. 334.

This table provides the key legislative dates for the Order.

It indicates the instrument was formally made on March 23, 2026, was formally presented to Parliament on March 25, 2026, and officially came into legal effect on May 1, 2026.

The competent authority for making this Order is the Secretary of State.

The power to issue this amendment stems from specific provisions—section 355(1) and paragraphs 9 and 11 of Schedule 18—within the primary legislation, the Gambling Act 2005.

This section formally names the legislation, confirming its citation as the Gambling Act 2005 (Commencement No. 6 and Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Order 2026.

It reiterates the commencement date of May 1, 2026, and specifies that the geographical extent of this Order covers England, Wales, and Scotland.

This is the core operative section, detailing the amendment being made.

It specifies that paragraph 65, which is part of the previous 2006 Commencement Order, is being modified.

That paragraph addresses how the Gambling Act 2005 applies to casino premises licences that were granted through a conversion process (for existing operators).

This details the specific textual changes within sub-paragraph (6) of the targeted paragraph.

It substitutes the phrase 'to do any of the following' with 'to do one of the following at any time (subject to sub-paragraph (6G))'.

It also inserts the word 'or' at the conclusion of paragraph (a), which serves to clearly separate the preceding option from whatever follows.

This footnote details the primary legislation, the Gambling Act 2005 (c. 19), and records that the specific power cited (section 355(1)) has previously been amended by subsequent Acts concerning devolved administrations: the Scotland Act 2016 and the Wales Act 2017.

This footnote identifies the instrument being amended, which is the S.I. 2006/3272, often referred to as the principal 2006 Commencement Order.

It notes that this 2006 Order was itself previously amended by S.I. 2025/734, the instrument which this current Order is correcting.

This section provides the signatory details: the date the Order was signed (March 23, 2026) and the signing authority, Twycoross, who held the office of Parliamentary Under Secretary of State within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The Explanatory Note clarifies that the Order modifies the 2006 Order concerning converted casino licences, which were established for operators running casinos just before the 2005 Act became fully operative. The key clarification introduced is that the permitted gaming machine entitlements listed in the relevant sub-paragraph must be treated as mutually exclusive alternatives, meaning only a single entitlement can be used at once, rather than being cumulative options.

The legislation confirms that a formal impact assessment was not required.

This decision was based on the assessment that the changes made by the Order would have no, or no significant, financial or operational effect on the private, voluntary, or public sectors.