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Exploring online, illegal, individual-led lotteries and raffles
Exploring online, illegal, individual-led lotteries and raffles
Appendix D – Depth Interview Discussion Guide
Interview structure
Introduction and warm-up (5 mins).
General gambling habits and context (5 mins).
Individual-led lotteries and raffles: discovery and participation (15-20 mins).
Perceptions of legality, fairness and risk (10 mins).
Reflections, thank and close (5 mins).
Research and interview objectives:
Following quantitative research and social listening, deep-dive further into experiences and perceptions of those participating in or hosting individual-led lotteries and raffles (TikTok, Facebook, other platforms). In particular, focusing on:
- motivations for taking part and the experience: decision points, positive aspects and points of tension or friction
- routes into participation: how content is encountered, whether discovery is accidental or intentional, and routes in which are most influential
- how users move between TikTok and other platforms for participation and extent to which users are consciously aware of this
- legality of these activities: whether raffles are recognised as gambling, how framing of content shapes perceptions, the role of regulation and expectations around fairness, refunds and complaints.
Discussion Flow
1. Introduction and warm-up (5 minutes)
Moderator to introduce themselves and Yonder as an independent research organisation.
Explain that the interview is about individual‑led lotteries and raffles promoted online (including on TikTok and other social platforms), and that Yonder is conducting the research on behalf of the Gambling Commission.
Clarify that the discussion will last up to 45 minutes, is confidential, and there are no right or wrong answers. Participation is voluntary and participants can skip questions, take a break or stop at any time.
State that the session will be audio‑/video‑recorded for research purposes only, stored securely for up to 6 months and accessed only by authorised researchers and the client. Obtain explicit consent to record.
Confirm that any personal data will be handled in line with GDPR and MRS guidelines, and that anonymised quotations may be used in reporting.
Note that the interview may cover gambling, which can be a sensitive topic, and that the moderator can signpost to relevant support services if needed.
2. General gambling habits and context (5 minutes)
To get started, I’d like to understand a little more about you. Let’s go over some of the bits which were covered in the pre-task:
- can you tell me a bit about yourself – your name, living situation, what you do for a living, what you like to do in your spare time?
- how would you describe your general relationship with gambling?
- what types of gambling do you like to do? This could include things like sports betting, horse racing, casino games like slots, bingo, scratch cards, playing the national lottery and/or other charity lotteries, and so on.
- how often do you do it?
- what do you enjoy most about it and why?
3. Individual-led lotteries and raffles: discovery and participation (15-20 minutes)
Now I’d like to focus on the main topic for today: individual-led lotteries and raffles. Just to reiterate, by “individual-led lotteries and raffles”, we mean: paid-entry, chance-based draws promoted by social media individuals or influencers, where payment is required to participate. These activities may be described as raffles, lotteries, tombolas, competitions, or “paid giveaways”.
We are not referring to: the National Lottery or charity-run lotteries (society lotteries), or free giveaways and prize draws where there is a free entry route available (even if there is also a paid route), such as Omaze.
Moderator note: People may use “raffle” as a catch-all. Treat labels as TikTok vernacular and probe mechanics (payment, chance, prize, free entry route clarity)
Moderator note: Be clear we are not referring to large, well-known organisations like the National Lottery or Omaze.
You mentioned in your pre-task that you’d taken part in/hosted an individual-led lottery or rafffle:
- how familiar are you with these?
- how much do you know about them?
Ask for those who have taken part:
- how did you first learn about these types of lotteries and/or raffles?
- what drew you to them in the first place? (Probe on whether sought out intentionally or accidentally.)
- how do you typically find out about these lotteries and/or raffles now?
- what makes you decide to take part in a particular draw? (Probe on role of: prize available, chance to win, platform used, person and/or account running the lottery and/or raffle)
- how often do you take part in these types of lotteries /raffles?
- what sites or social media platforms do you use for this? (Probe on whether they use multiple platforms or sites and why; make sure to probe on TikTok specifically)
- do you have a preferred platform? Why?
- do you ever move between different sites or platforms for these draws? Why? (Probe on whether this differs depending on the type of lottery or raffle, stage of play (for example, registering, payment, finding out results, claiming prizes), or something else?)
Tell me about the last social media lottery and/or raffle you took part in. Could you walk me through it step-by-step, from how you first saw it to finding out the result?
Moderator note: if TikTok not most recent experience cited, make sure to probe on last time they did this through TikTok as well.
- how did you first hear about it?
- what made you want to take part?
- when and where did it take place?
- how did you enter?
- how did you pay?
- how did you feel during the process?
- what makes for a positive lottery and/or raffle experience?
- have you ever had a negative experience when taking part? What happened? (Probe on issues with payment, fairness, receiving the prize, communication from the host)
- do you consider these lotteries and/or raffles to be a form of gambling? Why?
Ask for those who have hosted:
- you mentioned you’ve hosted lotteries and/or raffles before. What made you decide to do that?
- how often do you host them?
- what platforms do you use to host them, and why? (Moderator to probe on TikTok specifically)
- what kinds of prizes do you typically offer?
- how do you go about promoting the draw and attracting people to it? What seems to work best?
- how do you handle payments from participants?
- from your perspective, what do you think is the main appeal for the people who take part?
- what has your experience of facilitating these lotteries and/or raffles been like?
- what parts are easy?
- what parts are difficult or create friction? (for example, taking payments, drawing a winner, communicating with participants, arranging the prize)
Tell me about the last time you hosted a lottery and/or raffle online:
Moderator note: if TikTok not most recent example cited, make sure to probe on last time they did this through TikTok as well.
- what made you decide to host or run this lottery and/or raffle?
- where and when did you host it?
- how did people enter the lottery and/or raffle?
- how many people took part?
- what kind of prize did you offer?
- overall, was this a positive or negative experience for you, or somewhere in between? Why?
- do you consider these lotteries and/or raffles to be a form of gambling? Why?
4. Perceptions of legality, fairness and risk (10 minutes)
Ask only for those who have taken part:
- when you see these lotteries and/or raffles online, do you ever think about whether they are legal or legitimate?
- what, if anything, makes a lottery and/or raffle look official or trustworthy to you? (Probe on whether they do any checks to ensure legitimacy)
- is there anything that would put you off taking part? Or which would make you think it was not legitimate?
- how do you expect a winner to be chosen with these lotteries and/or raffles? What feels fair? - hWhat would you do if you had an issue for example, if you felt a draw was unfair or you didn’t receive a prize you won? (Probe on whether they would query or complain and who to.)
Ask for those who have taken part and for those who have hosted:
- before this research, were you aware that individual-led lotteries and/or raffles where people pay to enter, require a special licence from the local authority or the Gambling Commission?
- moderator to further explain if participant struggles to understand: a special licence is not required for individual-led lotteries and/or raffles which are free to enter.
- moderator note: If required, reassure the participant that we are interested in their honest opinion for research purposes only, there will be no negative consequence and/or action taken.
- how do you feel knowing this? (Probe on whether this changes perceptions.)
- and were you aware of the Gambling Commission and its role before today?
If not familiar, Moderator to explain: The Gambling Commission is an organisation which seeks to make gambling fairer and safer. It does so by licensing and regulating in the public interest and providing advice and guidance. It wants a fair and safe gambling market where all consumers and the interests of the wider public are protected.
- how do you feel knowing this?
- does this affect whether you would participate in (or host them) prize draws in the future?
5. Reflections, thank and close (5 minutes)
Do you have any final thoughts you’d like to share on participating in or hosting online prize draws?
Is there anything else you’d like to share that we haven’t covered today?
Thank participant for their tie and contributions, confirm incentive payment and close.
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Appendix E – Qualitative sample breakdown of 10 participants
Last updated: 13 August 2026
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