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Guidance

Lotteries and the Gambling Act 2005

Guidance on lotteries and the Gambling Act 2005 for local authorities

Published
30 June 2021

Last updated
11 October 2021 - Changes

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Contents

Application and Duration

Applications for a small society lottery registration must be made to the local authority whose area the principal office of the society is in.

Applications must be made in the prescribed form and accompanied by the prescribed fee.

Societies may not circumvent the requirement to hold a Gambling Commission Lottery Operating Licence by obtaining two or more registrations with the same or different Licensing Authorities.

Where a society has separate branches with different aims and objectives, it is acceptable for them to hold more than one licence or registration. However, in cases where a society holds more than one registration and the aims and objectives of those societies are the same, this may constitute a breach of the threshold limits for small society lotteries set out in Schedule 11 of the Act.

By virtue of Schedule 11 paragraph 31(5) of the Act, societies may not hold an Operating Licence with the Gambling Commission and a local authority registration with the same aims and objectives at the same time. This paragraph also provides for a statutory period of three calendar years during which a large society cannot convert to small society status (these years start from the year when the first lottery was promoted by that society).

Registrations run for an unlimited period unless the registration is cancelled or revoked.

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Lotteries and the GA05: Annual Fee
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