The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has welcomed the result of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 consultation. This has followed a BBPA recommendation in granting pubs an exemption to new regulations, recognising their status as a low-risk gambling environment.
The findings of the consultation stipulate that only holders of casino operating licences will be subject to the requirements under the new regulations. Had pubs been asked to comply with additional regulation, this would have presented a significant additional cost burden, said the BBPA.
In its response to the consultation, the BBPA stressed that income derived from gaming machines is an important source of revenue for many pubs, and for some can have a key effect on their viability.
Pubs are already highly regulated by the Licensing Act 2003 (alcohol, regulated entertainment), the BBPA argued, with gaming machines themselves subject to regulation under the Gambling Act 2005 and are controlled through local authority enforcement and licensing.
