Betting Act, 1931

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Grounds for refusal of certificate of personal fitness.

6.—A superintendent of the Gárda Síochána may refuse an application for a certificate of personal fitness on any one or more of the following grounds and on no other ground whatsoever, that is to say:—

(a) that at the time of the application for the certificate arrears of any duty for the time being payable on or in respect of bets are due and owing by the applicant;

(b) that the applicant had been previously convicted of a crime or of an offence under this Act or under the Betting Act, 1926 , or of an offence in relation to the duty on bets or has since the commencement of the Betting Act, 1926 , been convicted of an offence under any Act relating to gaming or gaming houses or to betting (other than the Ready Money Football Betting Act, 1920) or has since the commencement of the Betting Act, 1926 , been twice or oftener convicted of an offence under the Ready Money Football Betting Act, 1920;

(c) that a bookmaker's licence held by the applicant under this Act or the Betting Act, 1926 , was revoked;

(d) that a previous refusal by a superintendent of the Gárda Síochána to give a certificate of personal fitness under this Act or under the Betting Act, 1926 , had been confirmed on appeal to the District Court;

(e) that the applicant is by reason of his general character or his known habits not a fit person to hold a bookmaker's licence;

(f) that the financial circumstances of the applicant are not such as to render him a fit person to hold a bookmaker's licence;

(g) in the case of an applicant who had previously held a bookmaker's licence under this Act or the Betting Act, 1926 , that he had without reasonable cause failed or refused to pay sums payable to persons who had won bets made with him;

(h) that the applicant had ordinarily resided in Saorstát Eireann for less than twelve months before making the application;

(i) that, in the case of an applicant who previously held a bookmaker's licence under this Act or the Betting Act, 1926 , the business of bookmaking had been conducted by him in a disorderly manner or in such a manner as to cause or encourage persons to congregate and loiter in or outside the premises where such business was conducted or he had permitted persons to loiter in such premises;

(j) that the applicant is acting as agent for a person whose application would be refused on one or other of the grounds set out in the foregoing paragraphs of this section;

(k) except in the case of an applicant who is at the passing of this Act the holder of a bookmaker's licence issued under the Betting Act, 1926 , and is continuously from the date of such passing up to and including the time of making such application the holder of a bookmaker's licence issued under the Betting Act, 1926 , or this Act and for the time being in force, that such applicant is the holder of a pawnbroker's licence or is a registered moneylender.