Gambling sectors

What operating licence do I need?


 

The following types of licence apply to running or promoting a lottery. Please read the details below to see which licence you need:

If you want to run or manage a lottery over the internet, or using other remote means, you will need to apply for the  remote versions of the above licence types. If you are a society lottery you may qualify for the remote ancillary operating licence.

Society lottery operating licence

If you run a non-commercial society or local authority lottery that makes more than £20,000 in a single draw or £250,000 in a year you will need a society lottery operating licence from us.

Depending on the category of licence you apply for, this licence lets you run a lottery with proceeds of up to £4 million for a single draw, and £10 million in a year.

Promoting society and local authority lotteries - November 2009 sets out in detail how to run your lottery.

If you want to run your society or local authority lottery by  remote communication, you need to apply for a remote society lottery operating licence. Apply for an operating licence.

External Lottery Manager (ELM) operating licence

If you want to manage a lottery on behalf of a society or local authority, you need to have an ELM lottery operating licence.

If you are managing a lottery that is run by remote communication, you need to have a remote ELM lottery operating licence. Apply for an operating licence.

Ancillary remote

If you are applying for a non-remote society lottery operating licence, but want to accept payments for participation in a lottery by means of remote communication, up to a maximum of £250,000 proceeds per annum by remote means, you can add an ancillary remote licence  to your main licence type.

The ancillary remote licence is only suitable for the acceptance of payments by remote means. If you are conducting your lottery by wholly remote means, a full remote society lottery operating licence will be required.

 

Page last reviewed: April 2012

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