Jackpot fine for chip shop’s gambling machines

A Bridgend County Borough chip shop owner has paid out more than £1,500 after installing gambling machines that could have been used by children.

Paul Evans pleaded guilty at Cardiff Magistrates Court on 15 March to three offences under the Gambling Act 2005 after installing the machines at ‘Paul’s Chippy’ in Heol Yr Ysgol, Ynysawdre.

The court heard that the machines were discovered by licensing officers from the Shared Regulatory Service during a routine inspection.

Mr Evans was fined £253 for the one offence with no separate penalty for the others. He was ordered to pay legal costs of £350, investigation costs of £920 and a victim surcharge of £30, which came to £1,553 in total.

The court also granted a forfeiture on cash taken from the two machines, and ordered that they be destroyed.

It is against the law to provide gaming machines in takeaways, cafes, taxi offices or at any other non-gambling premises where children can be exposed to gambling and illegal slot machines.

Protecting children and the vulnerable from gambling is an important licensing objective, and licensing officers from the Shared Regulatory Service worked in close partnership with the Gambling Commission to bring about this prosecution.

I hope it sends a clear message not only that we remain vigilant, but that we will always take action against anyone who is found to have breached the gambling laws in this way.

Councillor David Lewis, Chair of Licensing,