Guidance
Lotteries and the Gambling Act 2005
Guidance on lotteries and the Gambling Act 2005 for local authorities
Contents
- Introduction
- Definition of a lottery
- Definition of ‘prize’
- Definition of ‘society’
- Application and Duration
- Annual Fee
- Refusal of application
- Revocation of a small society’s registered status
- Appeals
- Cancellation
- Lottery Tickets
- Lottery Proceeds
- Lottery Prizes
- Administration and returns
- Lottery register
- Types of lottery that do not require a registration or licence (exempt lotteries)
- When is a lottery not a lottery?
- Common Problems
Lottery Proceeds
The proceeds from each small society lottery cannot exceed £20K in a single draw, or £250K in a one-year period. If they exceed these amounts, the lottery is no longer a small society lottery, and the promoter must instead be licensed by the Gambling Commission.
The purpose of lottery returns
Local authorities should check the returns submitted by lottery promoters at least annually to ensure the £250K limit is not being exceeded. The returns for each draw should be checked to ensure they do not exceed £20K in proceeds.
Lotteries and the GA05: Lottery Tickets Next section
Lotteries and the GA05: Lottery Prizes
Last updated: 11 October 2021
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