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2 1956

GAMING AND LOTTERIES ACT, 1956

PART III.

Licensing of Amusement Halls and Funfairs.

Application of this Part.

12. —This Part shall not have effect in any area unless there is for the time being in force a resolution under section 13 adopting it for that area.

Adoption of this Part by local authority.

13. —(1) A local authority may by resolution adopt this Part in respect of the whole or a specified part of its administrative area and may by resolution rescind such adoption.

(2) For the purpose of this section the administrative area of the council of a county shall not include any borough, urban district or town.

(3) A resolution shall not have effect unless not less than one month's notice of the intention to propose it has been given in writing to every member of the local authority and has been published by advertisement in at least two newspapers circulating in the area to which the proposal relates.

(4) A local authority on passing a resolution shall cause notice of the fact to be published in at least two newspapers circulating in the area to which the resolution relates and shall as soon as may be send a copy of the resolution to the Minister.

(5) Evidence of the passing of a resolution may be given by the production of a copy of a newspaper containing the notice or by the production of a certificate to that effect purporting to be under the seal of the local authority.

Licensed amusement hall and funfair.

14. —Gaming carried on at an amusement hall or funfair shall not be unlawful gaming if—

(a) it is carried on in accordance with a licence, and

(b) the stake in each game is not more than sixpence for each player, and

(c) no person under sixteen years of age is permitted to play, and

(d) no player may win more than the value of ten shillings in each game, and

(e) neither taking part in nor the result of a game entitles the player to take part in any other game or lottery or otherwise to receive or be eligible to compete for any money or money's worth.

Certificate for gaming licence.

15. —(1) The District Court may grant a certificate authorising the issue of a licence permitting gaming at an amusement hall or funfair.

(2) A certificate shall not be granted unless forms of entertainment other than gaming are also provided.

(3) A certificate shall not be granted unless the applicant shows that he is not disqualified by section 8 from the promotion of gaming under section 6 or section 7.

(4) The Court may attach to the certificate conditions limiting the hours during which gaming may be carried on, restricting the kinds of gaming and the extent to which particular kinds of gaming may be carried on, limiting the amount of the stakes and of prizes and prohibiting or restricting gaming by persons under specified ages.

(5) The certificate shall specify the period in the particular year to which it relates for which the licence is to be issued.

(6) A certificate granted under this section shall not be invalidated by the subsequent rescission of a resolution under section 13.

Notice of application for certificate.

16. —(1) (a) The intending applicant for a certificate shall give twenty-eight days' notice in writing of his intention to each local authority within whose administrative area the premises to which the application relates are situate and to the Superintendent of the Garda Síochána for the locality.

(b) The notice shall state the number and kinds of games proposed to be carried on and the other forms of amusement to be provided.

(2) The applicant shall also cause a notice of his intention to be published at least fourteen days before the hearing in a newspaper circulating in the locality.

Hearing of application.

17. —(1) In considering an application for a certificate the Court shall have regard to—

(a) the character of the applicant or, in the case of a body corporate, of the persons exercising control and management thereof,

(b) the number of gaming licences already in force in the locality,

(c) the suitability of the premises or place proposed to be used,

(d) the class of persons likely to resort to it, and, if the applicant held a gaming licence for that or any other premises or place in the previous year, the manner in which he conducted it, and

(e) the kinds of gaming proposed to be carried on.

(2) At the hearing, the local authority, the Superintendent of the Garda Síochána and any other person who appears to the Court to be interested may appear and may adduce evidence in relation to the application.

Appeal in respect of application for certificate.

18. —(1) Without prejudice to any right of appeal given by any other Act, an appeal shall lie to the Circuit Court—

(a) by the applicant for a certificate—from an order of the District Court refusing the application,

(b) by the applicant—from any particular part of an order of the District Court granting a certificate, and

(c) by any person who at the hearing opposed the application—from an order or any particular part of an order of the District Court granting the certificate.

(2) A certificate granted by the District Court shall remain in full force until altered or revoked on appeal.

(3) Where, in the case of the refusal of a certificate by the District Court, the applicant is the holder of a subsisting licence the licence shall continue in force pending the determination of an appeal against such refusal.

Issue of licence.

19. —The Revenue Commissioners shall, on the application of a person to whom a certificate for a gaming licence has been granted and on payment by him of any excise duty provided for by law, issue to the applicant a licence in such form as they may direct which shall be and be expressed to be subject to the conditions attached to the certificate.

Display of notice by licensee.

20. —The licensee of a licensed amusement hall or funfair shall cause to be displayed at all times, in a conspicuous position near the entrance, a notice giving the name and address of the licensee and the conditions of the licence.