Lottery licences: Gambling Act 2005
The Small Society Lotteries (Registration
of Non-Commercial Societies) Regulations 2007
If your organisation wishes to hold any type of ‘draw’
that will be open to the general public, you will need to
apply to the Council for a Small Lotteries Licence. The cost
for such a licence is £40. If you wish to renew the licence in
subsequent years, the cost is currently £20.00 per annum, due
before the anniversay of the registration. These costs are set
by the Government.
The promoting society of a small society lottery must,
throughout the period during which the lottery is promoted, be
registered with a licensing authority. The licensing authority with
which the small society lottery is required to register must
be in the area where their principal office is located. If a
licensing authority believes that a society’s principal office is
situated in another area, it must inform the society and the other
authority as soon as possible.
If you think it may not be worthwhile paying £40 for a
licence, you can still raise funds but you need to ‘restrict’ your
sale of tickets. This can be achieved by holding a ’Private’,
'Work', or 'Residents' ' Lottery whereby the tickets are confined
to members of a society, club, institution, etc, ie tickets are not
sold to the general public at large.
The returns (Statements) from the lotteries are
scrutinised and retained by the Council for public
inspection.
Private Lotteries
A lottery is a private society lottery if:
- it is promoted only by authorised members of a society;
and
- each person to whom a ticket is sold is either a member of the
society or on premises wholly or mainly used for the administration
of the society or the conduct of its affairs (society
premises).
Work Lottery
A lottery is a work lottery if:
- the promoters work on a single set or premises; and
- each person to whom a ticket is sold or supplied also works on
the work premises.
Residents' Lottery
A lottery is a residents' lottery if:
- the promoters live in a single set or premises; and
- each person to whom a ticket is sold or supplied also lives in
the residentail premises.
Purpose of Lottery
- A private society lottery may be promoted for any of the
purposes for which the society is conducted.
- A work or residents' lottery must be organised in such a way as
to ensure that no profits are made.
Incidental "Non-Commercial" Lottery
Alternatively, you can also raise funds as part of an
incidental "non-commercial" lottery.
This is a lottery that is not promoted for private gain
and which is incidental to a non-commercial event such as a fete,
dinner dance or sporting night and you are perfectly entitled to
hold a ‘draw’ during this type of activity, but tickets must only
be sold at the premises during the event and the result must be
made public while the event takes place.
For further information or advice, please contact
the
Licensing Team on
01653 600666 ext 250/251/253.