IN A MOVE which could see huge payout gambling machines in local high streets, an amusement arcade company has applied for a bookmaker's licence.

Alan Hunt, an employee of Blackheath Leisure (Carousel) Ltd, has been granted the licence by Bexley magistrates.

Bexleyheath police fear it is the first step along the road to installing the gambling machines in high street arcades, such as Cash City which the company operates in Bexleyheath Broadway.

The machines take a credit card and enable punters to play games of chance such as blackjack and roulette on screen. Payouts on the machine can be as much as £50,000, paid by cheque to any lucky winner.

With a couple of exceptions, the machines are currently only operated in betting shops. One bookmaker's in Bexleyheath Broadway has a gaming machine which pays out a £10,000 top prize.

At the moment, to enable a company to operate the machines, premises would have to qualify as a betting shop. But to apply for planning permission and a betting office licence, someone in the company has to have a bookmaker's licence.

Blackheath Leisure (Carousel) has 35 arcades throughout the area and has offices in Woolwich and Gravesend. Mr Hunt, who lives in Bexley, told magistrates some of them could be suitable for installing the fixed-odds betting machines.

The arcades are currently open to people aged over 18 and offer top money prizes of £25.

Mr Hunt said his application for a bookmaker's licence would make it possible for the company to install the machines at some time in the future if it wanted to.

The only thing which could stop the company is the Gaming Board's application for a judicial review.

It wants the machines classified as gaming, not betting machines. If it is successful, the machines will have to be removed from all betting offices and would only be allowed in premises with a gaming licence such as bingo halls and casinos.

January 27, 2003 18:30