The provisions of the Act amended Section 42 of the Gaming Act 1968 to:[5][6] Baron Harmar-Nicholls, a Conservative peer, was a proponent of relaxing regulations on bingo halls, calling them "social centres" and "very innocent" of the dangers of casino gambling,[8] and first introduced a bill on the matter in early 1991 which was defeated on the grounds that gambling should not be encouraged by the government.

[1] It gained royal assent on 6 March 1992, and came into force two months later.

Because of the new laws, the National Bingo Game could advertise prize money in the national press, while local clubs were unable to publicise where people could play.

[11] Large parts of the Act were repealed by the Deregulation (Betting and Bingo Advertising etc.)

Order 1997,[12] made by Timothy Kirkhope (the then-Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department) under powers in the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994.