Lotteries

Lotteries are administered under the Gambling Act 2005 which came into force on 1 September 2007.

Guidance notes are available to download below to answer all your questions on lottery registrations, and any other requirements such as the need to hold an operator's licence where necessary (issued by the Gambling Commission).

Some lotteries remain exempt and these are covered under schedule 11 of the Act.

Regulations

Regulations have been issued under the Gambling Act that are specific to Lotteries. The lotteries regulations can be downloaded from the Gambling Commission website.

Summary of main points to be considered are:

• Is your activity a lottery?
• What type of lottery are you running?
• With whom should your lottery be registered?
• Have you allowed time for registration with the appropriate body?
• What legal restrictions apply to your lottery?
• Is the value of your prizes within the limits allowed?
• Will your expenses be within the limits allowed?
• Will the combined size of all lotteries within the same calendar year be within the limits allowed?
• Do your raffle tickets meet the legal requirements?
• What figures and paperwork will be required for the lottery return and/or auditor?
• When will your return need to be completed?

Enforcement Policy

Occasionally it is necessary for us to take enforcement action where informal approaches do not result in improved standards. The council has signed the Enforcement Concordat and a copy of our Enforcement Policy is available below.