Alcohol licencing is the responsibility of the Scottish Government. Any premises wishing to sell alcohol must obtain a licence from a local licensing board. The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 aims to simplify and modernise the existing legislation. It also balances the rights of the majority of people who drink responsibly against the need to protect local communities from nuisance and crime associated with misuse of alcohol.
Gambling is a reserved matter. The Gambling Act 2005 introduced new regulation to the industry.