Statistics and research release
Funds raised for good causes Q2 2023 to 2024
Income from game sales by quarter and versus last year. Represents Quarter 2 2023 to 2024.
Summary
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Funds raised for good causes
Published: November 2023
Reporting Period: Quarter 2, 2023 to 2024 (July to September)
Since its launch in November 1994, the National Lottery has raised over £47 billion for good causes that include sports (including Olympic athletes), arts and heritage, as well as health, education and the environment.
Funds are raised from the sale of National Lottery games and supplemented by items such as unclaimed prizes. The funds for good causes are held in the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF).
The Gambling Commission ensures that payments from the Lottery operator to good causes (which are held in the National Lottery Distribution Fund) are accurate and on time.
Key facts
Total funds raised for good causes between Quarter 2 2022 to 2023 and Quarter 2 2023 to 20241
The chart shows the most recent quarter and the preceding four quarters for comparative purposes. For consistency, each week’s ending date must fall within the reporting quarter, therefore the number of weeks within the quarters may vary.
The total raised for good causes in Quarter 2 (July to September) was £441.5 million. This was £30.2 million (7.3 percent) above Quarter 1 2023 to 2024 and £60.3 million (negative 12 percent) below Quarter 2 in 2022 to 2023. The last 5 quarters have generated £2.2 billion to good causes.
| 2022 to 2023 Quarter 2 |
2022 to 2023 Quarter 3 |
2022 to 2023 Quarter 4 |
2023 to 2024 Quarter 1 |
2023 to 2024 Quarter 2 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount raised for good causes | £501.8 million | £434.1 million | £432.5 million | £411.3 million | £441.5 million |
Details
Funds raised for good causes in Quarter 2 2023 to 2024 were £30.2 million (7.3 percent) greater than Quarter 1 2023 to 2024, and £60.3 million (negative 12.0 percent) lower than Quarter 2 2022 to 2023.
The increase in returns to good causes against Quarter 1 2023 to 2024 can be attributed to the following factors.
Quarter 2 2023 to 2024 covers a 14 week period, 2 weeks greater than the previous quarter and as a result includes the additional sales and funds to good causes from those weeks
With the additional 2 weeks in Quarter 2 2023 to 2024, total National Lottery sales increased by £193.3 million (10.5 percent) compared to Quarter 1. Most notably, Instant products (Scratchcards and Interactive Instant Win Games) and Lotto sales increased by £86.4 million (11.1 percent), and £52.1 million (11.1 percent) respectively.
Total unclaimed prizes added as returns to good causes were circa £31 million greater than the previous quarter. This was primarily due to a number of scratchcard games being closed in Quarter 2 2023 to 2024, in line with the usual annual cycle.
Notes
1Amounts relate to total value of proceeds from game sales and other income and adjustments, including unclaimed prizes, raised for good causes. For clarity Quarter 2 of 2023 to 2024 comprises of funds raised over a 14 week period (week ending 1 July to week ending 30 September). Quarter 1 2023 to 2024 comprises funds raised over a 12 week period (1 April to week ending 24 June). Quarter 2 2022 to 2023 comprises funds raised over a 13 week period.
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