Council decides to limit number of gambling machines in pubs

The Perth and Kinross licensing board has agreed new measures to limit the number of gambling machines in pubs.

Councillors on the board agreed a gambling “statement of principles”, which will guide the way it polices the industry locally.

Board members agreed to limit the number of gaming machines that a licensee can install – with no further permissions to two.

An “alcohol licensed premises gaming machine permit” will be required if a pub wants to install more than two gaming machines.

Pub owners will then have to make a special case to the licensing board for any more than four machines.

Debra Merchant, licensing manager, wrote in her proposal: “The licensing board indicated it wished to explore the possibility of limiting the number of gaming machines permitted on alcohol-licensed premises.

“The purpose of such a policy would be to ensure gambling remains ancillary and to ensure such gaming machines can be adequately supervised by staff or by other means.”

The paper went on to list the three pubs in Perth which are likely to be affected by the rule change.

They are the Sandeman, which was said to have six machines, the Foundry, which was said to have four, and the Twa Tams, which was reported to have three machines.

However, the duty manager of the Twa Tams has insisted officials made a mistake in including it on the list.

He said: “I am going to have to chase that up with the council as we only have two. So this isn’t going to affect us at all.”

Three pubs in Perth have more than two gaming machines, according to council officials.