The Gambling Act 2005 created a new system of licensing and regulation for commercial gambling in Great Britain.  It gives local authorities specific responsibilities for licensing and regulating premises used for gambling and a duty to publish a Gambling Policy Statement which must be reviewed periodically.  A three year review of the policy was completed during 2009 and a revised policy statement was approved by the Council on 17 December 2009. The revised Statement of Licensing Policy was published on 24 December 2009 and came into effect from 31 January 2010.

The published statement is available for viewing in the download area and on request at the Council Offices in Princes Road, Maldon.

The statement sets out the principles that Maldon District Council will apply in exercising its licensing functions under the Act. It has been developed in conjunction with other Essex Councils to give as far as is practical a common approach to gambling across the County. It contains no substantial policy changes from the original statement published in 2007, but has been reviewed to remove some of the earlier provisional arrangements which are no longer applicable. It also updates contact details and names of relevant organisations and bodies, recognises areas where recent case law has changed the approach to licensing and has corrected drafting errors in the original.