Family entertainment centre meaning

In practice, a family entertainment centre is an amusement‑arcade style venue whose principal use is making gaming machines available to the public in a mixed‑age, family setting. In Great Britain, the term is defined by the Gambling Act 2005 as premises (other than an adult gaming centre) wholly or mainly used for making gaming machines available for use. A licensed family entertainment centre is premises in respect of which a family entertainment centre premises licence has effect. The Act recognises: - Licensed family entertainment centres: require a Gambling Commission operating licence and a premises licence from the local licensing authority (licensing board in Scotland). They may offer Category C and Category D gaming machines, subject to statutory age restrictions and licence conditions. - Unlicensed family entertainment centres: operate under a family entertainment centre gaming machine permit issued by the licensing authority and may offer Category D machines only. Family entertainment centres are distinct from adult gaming centres (adult‑only venues). In Northern Ireland and Ireland, “family entertainment centre” is not a defined statutory term. Comparable premises are typically regulated as amusement arcades or amusement halls under local gambling legislation, with machine categories, stake/prize limits and age controls set by that regime. Usage of...