Statistics and research release
Funds raised for good causes Q3 2023 to 24
Income from game sales by quarter and versus last year. Represents Quarter 3 2023 to 2024.
Summary
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Funds raised for good causes
Published: February 2024
Reporting Period: Quarter 3, 2023 to 2024 (October to December)
Since its launch in November 1994, the National Lottery has raised over £48 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 3 2022 to 2023 and Quarter 3 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 3 (October to December) was £400.0 million. This was £41.5 million (9.4 percent) below Quarter 2 (July to September) 2023 to 2024 and £34.1 million (7.9 percent) below Quarter 3 in 2022 to 2023. The last 5 quarters have generated £2.1 billion to good causes.
| 2022 to 2023 Quarter 3 |
2022 to 2023 Quarter 4 |
2023 to 2024 Quarter 1 |
2023 to 2024 Quarter 2 |
2022 to 2023 Quarter 3 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount raised for good causes | £434.1 million | £432.5 million | £411.3 million | £441.5 million | £400.0 million |
Details
Funds raised for good causes in Quarter 3 2023 to 2024 were £41.5 million (9.4 percent) lower than Quarter 2 2023 to 2024, and £34.1 million (7.9 percent) lower than Quarter 3 2022 to 2023. The decrease in returns to good causes can be partially attributed to the fact that Quarter 3 2023 to 2024 covers a 13 week period, which is one week less than the other reporting periods. In addition, total unclaimed prizes added as returns to good causes were circa £31 million lower 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.
Total National Lottery sales decreased by £70.4 million (3.4 percent) compared to Quarter 2 2023 to 2024. When compared to Quarter 3 2022 to 2023, total sales experienced a decrease of £233.0 million (10.6 percent), primarily due to a drop in sales from instant products of £132.6 million (13.9 percent). Again, it is important to note the context of Quarter 3 2023 to 2024 reporting period being a week less than the comparative reporting periods.
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 3 of 2023 to 2024 comprises of funds raised over a 13 week period (week ending 7 October to week ending 30 December). Quarter 2 2023 to 2024 and Quarter 3 2022 to 2023 both comprises funds raised over a 14 week period respectively.
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