Eight illegal gambling machines have been seized from social clubs and a restaurant in Enfield.
A taskforce of officers from Enfield Council, Revenue and Customs, police and the Gambling Commission has seized eight illegal gaming machines from social clubs and a restaurant in Enfield.
The seizures were made during an operation to crack down on illegal gambling in the borough, Enfield Council is planning to take formal action against the owners of the machines who have 28 days to come forward or the machines will be destroyed and the money inside them will be retained.
The gambling machines seized have not been classified and are therefore not legally allowed in this country. The business owners had all been previously warned that if the machines were not removed, enforcement action would be taken, including by Revenue and Customs for not registering the machines.
Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Guney Dogan, said: “In order to have machines legally, businesses must have the correct licence and the machines must have the approved classification so that we can regulate them.
"This is so we can work to protect vulnerable people from harm, prevent gambling being associated with crime and ensure that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way.
“If any business owner isn’t sure what licence they need, they should contact our Licensing Team who will be happy to advise.”
Mandy Gill, head of compliance at the Gambling Commission, said: “We are pleased with the results of this work which shows how working collaboratively can help to secure positive outcomes for consumers.
The Gambling Commission will continue to work together in partnership with Enfield Council to help continue to protect the public from illegal gambling activities and to keep consumers safe from harm.”