| Horserace Betting And Olympic Lottery Act | |
| 2004 Chapter 25 - continued | |
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Section 22: Timing 66. Section 22 provides that an Olympic Lottery (i.e. a lottery designated as such by a section 6 licence) may only be promoted if London is selected to host the 2012 Olympics and must end if that decision is revoked, or if the Secretary of State makes an order for termination. 67. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will decide, by vote, on 6 July 2005 which city should host the 2012 Olympics. While it is unlikely that a decision to award a city the right to host the Olympic Games would be revoked, this has been known (the 1908 Olympic Games were awarded to Rome but re-allocated to London after Vesuvius erupted in 1906). 68. Subsection (2) provides that a section 6 licence in respect of a designated Olympic Lottery must contain a condition prohibiting the promotion of that lottery unless the Secretary of State has by order declared that the IOC has elected London as the host city of the 2012 Olympic Games. Such an order, as is the case with one made by the Secretary of State pursuant to subsection (3) below, is to be laid before Parliament as required by section 36(3). 69. Subsections (3) and (4) address the circumstances where London is not awarded the Olympic Games, or having been awarded them, the election is revoked. When an order is made by the Secretary of State declaring that the IOC has elected a city other than London to host the 2012 Olympic Games or the award of the Games to London has been revoked, any licence operating an Olympic lottery shall cease to have effect in relation to that lottery and the National Lottery Commission may not grant a new Olympic lottery licence. 70. Subsection (5) enables the Secretary of State to end existing Olympic Lottery licences and prevent the granting of new Olympic Lottery licences. It is envisaged this power would be used after the 2012 Olympic Games have been staged by London as host city. Section 23: The Fund 71. This section establishes a fund to be known as the Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund (OLDF), which is to be subject to the control and management of the Secretary of State. Section 24: Payments into Fund from lottery proceeds 72. Subsection (1) provides that, in circumstances where a licence to promote an Olympic lottery has been granted and a sum is required to be paid under section 5(6) of the 1993 Act (as substituted by section 34), the proportion of that sum which is attributable to Olympic Lottery games should be paid to the OLDF (rather than the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF)). Subsection (2) includes a consequential provision in relation to section 9(3) of the 1993 Act (as substituted by section 34(5)) enabling the Secretary of State to recover sums owing to the OLDF in the same way in which she can in respect of monies owed to the NLDF. Section 25: Payments into Fund from National Lottery Distribution Fund 73. This section enables the Secretary of State to make an order permitting her to make payments from the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF) to the Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund (OLDF). Such an order pursuant to section 36(4) shall not be made unless a draft has been laid before and been approved by resolution of each House of Parliament. 74. Subsection (2) provides that any payment made from the NLDF to the OLDF in accordance with subsection (1) shall be treated as if paid out of money allocated for good causes as provided in section 22(3) of the 1993 National Lottery Act. Further, subsection (2) also permits the Secretary of State to specify by order the proportions of that money that should be treated as coming from each of the good causes (arts, sport, heritage, charities and health, education and the environment). Subsection (3) requires consultation with the existing good causes prior to the making of such an order. 75. An order under this section would be made only in exceptional circumstances. For example, in the event that the Olympic Lottery Distributor needed to make a grant or loan but had not received sufficient funds from the OLDF, and where the OLDF could not provide those funds. Section 26: Payments out of fund 76. Section 26 sets out the types of payments that can be made from the OLDF. Subsection (1) provides for payments to be made by the Secretary of State from the OLDF to the Olympic Lottery Distributor (OLD) which is responsible for distributing any monies received in accordance with section 30 of the Act. 77. Subsection (2) permits the Secretary of State to make regulations to provide for further payments. These include meeting expenses incurred by the Secretary of State and the National Debt Commissioners as a result of the exercise of their functions under Part 3 of the Act (subsections (2)(a) and (b)). Subsection (3) provides that Treasury consent is required in relation to payments of this kind. 78. Subsection (2)(c) and (d) enable the Secretary of State to make payments to the NLDF and to the Greater London Authority (GLA). In relation to payments to the NLDF, subsection (4) gives the Secretary of State discretion to divide the money between the good causes as set out in section 22(3) of the 1993 Act or to allocate it entirely to the sport good cause. In circumstances where such a payment is allocated entirely to the sport good cause, subsection (5) gives the Secretary of State a discretion to divide the money between the various sports lottery distributing bodies in proportions that differ from those set out in section 23(2) of the 1993 Act and may result in a particular body receiving nothing. 79. The power to pay money from the OLDF to the GLA and the NLDF as provided in subsection (2)(c) and (d) is included in the Act to accommodate arrangements for the public funding of the 2012 Olympic Games, as set out in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Government and the Mayor of London (published June 2003), and to allow for public funding to be reimbursed where possible. The MoU makes provision for costs of staging the Olympics to be met from a variety of sources in varying proportions. These include from the GLA through an Olympic Council tax, from the National Lottery through Olympic Lottery games, and from existing Sports Lottery distributors. It also gives an indication as to how it is proposed payment may be reimbursed in the event that the Olympic lottery games generate a surplus. 80. In the event of payment to the GLA, subsection (6) provides that this may be used by the GLA for any purpose it is authorised to incur expenditure on. 81. Subsection (2)(e) enables the Secretary of State to make payments to the British Olympic Association (BOA) in its capacity as the National Olympic Committee (NOC) from the OLDF. If London is successful in its bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, the NOC may suffer a drop in their income as a result of their having to surrender their property rights to the Olympic symbols, mottos etc. In these circumstances it may be necessary to make payments to the NOC from the OLDF. 82. Subsection (2)(f) enables the Secretary of State to make payments from the OLDF into the Consolidated Fund for the purpose of meeting the expenditure of the NLC which is initially defrayed out of money held in the Consolidated Fund in accordance with Paragraph 10 of Schedule 2A to the 1993 Act. Such expenditure will be incurred by the NLC, in licensing new Olympic Lottery games. Section 27: Investment 83. Section 27 enables monies in the OLDF to be paid to the National Debt Commissioners (NDC) for the purpose of investment and possible reinvestment in the event that the proceeds of investment are not required for immediate distribution or for meeting expenses. Subsection (3) provides that when undertaking any investment or reinvestment of funds the NDC must comply with any directions issued by the Treasury. Section 28: Winding up 84. Section 28 enables the Secretary of State by order to provide for the winding up of the OLDF and for any money in or due to it to be paid to the NLDF. Subsection (3) gives the Secretary of State the power to specify whether money is to be allocated to the NLDF for distribution to the good causes in the proportions set out in the 1993 Act, or to be allocated to the sport good cause (in the proportions determined by her). The power to allocate solely to the sport good cause may be used in order to reimburse sporting distributors for their contributions to the costs of staging the Olympic Games. Section 29: The Olympic Lottery Distributor 85. This section establishes a body corporate to be known as the Olympic Lottery Distributor. Its constitution together with other matters relating to its proceedings etc. are set out in Schedule 5. Section 30: Distribution 86. Section 30 requires the Distributor to make grants or loans (subject to conditions) in connection with staging the London 2012 Olympic Games. The MoU between Government and London proposes that the broad intention is for Lottery funding to be primarily directed to sports investment, Olympic facilities and event staging and for money raised through Council Tax to address the capital requirements of the Games including transport infrastructure. A further revenue stream is provided by the IOC in the form of marketing and the sale of television rights. This revenue is provided to the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (OCOG) and must be used to defray expenditure directly related to staging the 2012 Olympic Games. In order to ensure that Lottery funding is spent appropriately, and to give the flexibility to enable costs to be met according to need, it is necessary for the OLD to be able to make loans. It is difficult to anticipate, in advance of complex decisions which need to be taken on staging and delivery mechanisms for hosting the 2012 Olympic Games, exactly how such loans might operate. One example of exercise of the power to make loans might be the OLD making a loan to enable the OCOG to create a media village in anticipation of their receipt of television rights income from the IOC. Once received by the OCOG, the income from television rights could be used to repay the loan from the OLD. 87. Subsections (2), (3) and (4) relate to the purposes for which the OLD may distribute money, namely for provision of facilities, services or functions in connection with London hosting the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012. 88. The nature of these facilities, functions and services will to a large extent be detailed in the host city contract which is an agreement between the IOC and the host city which is signed by both parties and comes into effect on the day of the decision (6 July 2005). The host city contract will set out how the 2012 Olympic Games will be delivered, based on the proposals made by the host city in the Candidature File which is submitted to the IOC in November 2004. The Candidature File contains details of venues, transport, timetabling, how and when the 2012 Olympic Games will be delivered etc. Subsection (3) requires the OLD to have regard to the host city contract and to the Olympic Charter. 89. The Olympic Charter sets out the aims and objectives of the Olympic Movement, the legal status and structure of the International Olympic Committee, and regulations and guidance in relation to National Olympic Committees, the Olympic Games and Olympic Protocol. The current version has been in force as from 4 July 2003. 90. In the event of a successful London bid, certain sporting events will take place outside London, the host city, for practical reasons. Subsection (4) makes clear that the OLD may fund facilities outside London and also could fund non-sporting events which form part of the wider Olympic programme, including cultural events. The IOC provide that the organising committee must organise a programme of cultural events as part of staging the Olympics. Section 31: Distribution Policy 91. Section 31 enables the Secretary of State to require the OLD to produce a policy for the distribution of funds, or to review and revise an existing policy. A distribution policy, as described in this section, is a strategic plan for the distribution of Lottery funds which is analogous to that which may be prepared under Section 25C of the 1993 Act. The policy will provide a framework against which the OLD will operate and against which individual grant decisions will be made. 92. Subsection (3) allows the Secretary of State, when requesting a distribution policy, to ask the OLD to provide additional information to supplement or amplify that set out in subsection (2). 93. Subsection (4) requires the OLD, prior to submission of a policy or revised policy, to submit a draft thereof to the Secretary of State and to consult the National Lottery Commission, the Mayor of London, the NOC and the British Paralympic Association. 94. Subsections (5) and (6) require the OLD to send copies of the final policy or revised policy to the Secretary of State, the Mayor of London, the NOC and the British Paralympic Association, and requires the Secretary of State once she has received a copy to lay it before Parliament. Section 32: Dissolution 95. This section provides for the dissolution of the OLD and for the transfer of its property, rights and liabilities to be effected by the Secretary of State by order. It is intended to provide sufficient administrative flexibility for the future at a time when it is not possible to anticipate what body or bodies might be established to deliver and stage the 2012 Olympic Games, for example to co-ordinate Olympic transport arrangements or development of the Olympic Zone, or determine how the OLD might best apportion property, rights and liabilities in the event of its winding up. Subsection (2)(d) allows on dissolution for any liabilities and duties of the OLD to be transferred to another body where necessary. In particular, subsection (2)(d)(ii) makes specific reference to the fact that legal proceedings commenced against the OLD can be continued even after the OLD has been dissolved. 96. In relation to employees of the OLD subsection (6)(b) requires the Secretary of State to give due regard to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 which are regulations designed to safeguard employees' rights where businesses transfer between employers. 97. Subsections (3) and (4) allow for revenues held by the OLD to be paid to the NLDF in the same manner as provided in Sections 26 and 28. Section 33: Interpretation 98. This section makes provision for the interpretation and definition of a number of expressions primarily in relation to the 2012 Olympic Games. Section 34: Consequential amendments 99. This section makes provision for a number of amendments to the National Lottery etc Act 1993. In particular:
Section 35: Changes in Olympic Procedure 100. The International Olympic Committee is an independent body governed by an Executive Board which retains overall control of the organisational framework for the Olympic Movement and the Olympic Games. If London is elected to host the 2012 Olympic Games and the IOC changes its arrangements or organisation it may be necessary for legislation to be amended to enable the obligations under London's host city contract to be fulfilled. This section gives the Secretary of State the power to effect legislative change by order in response to those changes. The circumstances in which this power is exercisable are narrow. The order making power is only triggered when the IOC makes a change in arrangements relating to the Summer Olympic Games, and where the Secretary of State considers it to be necessary or expedient to make provision in legislation as a result of that change. Any such order would need to be laid in draft and approved by resolution in each House of Parliament, as provided in section 36(4). Section 36: Regulations and orders 101. This section provides that orders and regulations made under Part 3 of the Act are to be made by statutory instrument and specifies the Parliamentary procedures to be adopted when making such statutory instruments. SCHEDULE 1: NEW SCHEDULE 1A TO THE BETTING, GAMING AND LOTTERIES ACT 1963 Part 1 102. Paragraph 1 explains that Part 2 of the Schedule specifies the conditions to be complied with, for the purposes of section 4(2)(d) (restriction on pool betting on track) and section 4A(2)(b) (restriction on pool betting off track). 103. Paragraph 2 explains that Part 3 of the Schedule makes provision for the supervision of pool betting business. 104. Paragraph 3 explains that the term "pool betting business" means pool betting business in connection with horse racing. Part 2 105. Paragraph 4 provides that any totalisator (which is defined in section 55 (Interpretation, etc - general) of the 1963 Act) being used must be in proper working order and be properly operated. 106. Paragraph 5 requires a person who receives or negotiates bets to display in a conspicuous position a notice stating, prominently and in easily legible print his key terms of business. There are special provisions for those engaged in remote betting, for example over the Internet or over the telephone. 107. Under paragraph 6 where a person makes statements in accordance with paragraph 5 in respect of a race or set of races he is not permitted to alter those statements in respect of that race or races, and must act in accordance with the statements. For example, if a bookmaker makes a statement that he will round down winnings to the nearest 5p in respect of a race or set of races, but in fact rounds down to the nearest 10p he will have acted in contravention of paragraph 6. 108. The purpose of paragraph 7 is to ensure that a bookmaker publishes the winning dividend as soon as possible after the relevant race or set of races has finished. 109. Paragraph 8 makes it a condition of Part 2 that a person who receives or negotiates bets (e.g. a bookmaker) must-
110. Paragraph 9 requires any person who carries on pool betting business to pay a yearly fee to be prescribed by an order made by the Secretary of State. The purpose of paragraph 9(4) is directed at ensuring that the amount paid by way of fees equals the costs of the accountant, the technical adviser and their staff. Part 3 111. Under paragraph 10 the Gaming Board is given the duty of appointing a supervising accountant (the accountant) to check whether the conditions in Part 2 of the Schedule are complied with. The accountant must be eligible for appointment as a company auditor, and may be a firm. 112. Under paragraph 11 the accountant is given powers to enable him to determine whether the conditions in Part 2 have been complied with, and in particular, he may require access to premises on which pool betting business is carried on, may require the production of documents, may authorise a person in writing to do anything that he can do under paragraph 11 and he may delegate his functions. 113. Under paragraph 12 the Gaming Board is given the duty of appointing a technical adviser to advise the accountant on the working condition of totalisators. The technical adviser is given the power to do anything he thinks necessary in order to advise the accountant in relation to the conditions and in particular, may require access to premises in which the totalisator is or has been in operation and may require the examination of a totalisator. 114. Paragraph 14 requires any person who carries on pool betting business in any month to send to the accountant a statement of account for that month. In particular, the statement must specify amounts carried over from one pool to the next where no winning claims have been made in relation to a pool bet and such other information as the accountant may require. 115. Paragraph 16 provides for an annual audit by the accountant of pool betting accounts submitted under paragraph 14. The accountant is required to certify compliance with paragraph 14, whether the accounts are in his opinion complete and accurate and that the pool betting business carried out during the year has been in accordance with Part 2 of the Schedule. The accountant, having audited and certified a person's accounts, is required to send the audited accounts and the certificate to him, and he must then send two copies of those documents to the Gaming Board. The Gaming Board is obliged to make a copy of those accounts and certificate available for inspection by the public. 116. Under paragraph 17 the accountant is required to report to the Gaming Board if he believes that pool betting business has been carried on otherwise than in accordance with Part 2 of the Schedule. 117. Paragraphs 19 to 24 make provision for a number of offences. In particular paragraphs 19 to 21 make it an offence to obstruct, fail to co-operate with or knowingly provide false information to the accountant or technical adviser. Anyone found guilty is liable to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale. 118. Paragraph 23 makes it an offence not to submit monthly accounts to the supervising accountant and to not submit two copies of the audited accounts and accountants certificate to the Gaming Board in reasonable time. The penalty is a maximum 6 months imprisonment or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or both, although the period of imprisonment may be increased to 51 weeks under the Criminal Justice Act 2003. |
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