Lotteries
Information about licensing of lotteries
Lotteries and Amusements Act
If you or your organisation run a lotteries or raffle, you have to be registered with the council.* There are exceptions to this general rule such as small lotteries and private lotteries which do not require registration. See details below.
The council is the registration authority for society lotteries promoted for the purpose of raising funds for sporting, charitable or benevolent purposes. A typical society lottery would be a local school parent teacher association or a local amateur football club.
*Under the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976. The Act defines all lotteries which do not constitute gaming as illegal.
Exemptions
Lotteries not promoted by societies or where the value of tickets for sale in a lottery exceeds £20,000 have to register with the Gaming Board of Great Britain and not the council.
Registration fees
For society lotteries there is an initial registration fee of £40, payable to the council. to remain registered, each society has to pay an annual fee of £20 in January each year.
Once registered, societies have to submit a return after each lottery showing the amounts collected, the amount spent on prizes and any expenses concerned with conducting the lottery. These returns are held for 18 months and are available for public inspection.
Tickets sold as part of a registered society lottery must be properly printed and detail:- the name of the society, the name and address of the promoter, the date of the lottery draw, the price of the ticket (which must not exceed £1) and the name of the council that the society is registered with.
Apply online
You can apply to register for a lottery online by following the link below:
Last reviewed: 15 - 08 - 2011