Lotteries

Small Society lotteries are lotteries promoted for the benefit of a non-commercial society.  A society is non-commercial if it is established and conducted:

• for charitable purposes;
• for the purpose of enabling participation in, or of supporting, sport, athletics or a cultural activity; or
• for any other non-commercial purpose other than that of private gain.

The total value of tickets to be put on sale per single lottery must be £20,000 or less, or the aggregate value of tickets to be put on sale for all lotteries in a calendar year must not exceed £250,000.

A Society must apply a minimum of 20% of the gross proceeds of each lottery directly to the purpose of the society.

Up to a maximum of 80% of the gross proceeds of each lottery may be divided between prizes and the expenses of the lottery.

Each ticket sold must: -

• Include the name of the promoting society
• State the price of the ticket
• State the name and address of promoter
• Include the date of the draw or a way of calculating the date of the draw
• Be of the same value

• Application Form
• Fees & Charges
• Gambling Commision Guidance

Exempt Lotteries

Exempt lotteries include:

• incidental non-commercial lotteries - commonly held at charity fund raising events;
• private society lotteries - only members of the society and those on society premises can participate in the lottery;
• work lotteries - only people who work together on the same premises may participate;
• residents' lotteries - only people who live at the same premises may participate; and
• customer lotteries - only customers at the business premises may participate