MANAGING YOUR PTA – Raffl es
FA Raffles and lotteries Qs
Raffl es can be huge profi t boosters and a great way to build links with local businesses. We asked the Gambling Commission what PTAs need to know...
What do the terms ‘raffl e’ and ‘lottery’ actually mean, and how do they work? A lottery is a kind of gambling that has three essential ingredients:
● you have to pay to enter the game ● there is always at least one prize ● prizes are awarded purely on chance. A typical ‘small-scale lottery’ is a raffl e
where players buy a ticket with a number on it. Tickets are randomly drawn and those holding the same numbered tickets win prizes.
Are we able to run a raffl e at our school fair without holding a lottery licence? If running a raffl e where tickets are NOT sold before the event, this falls under the terms of an
‘incidental lottery’. This doesn’t require any permissions or licences, however you must adhere to the following rules: ● All tickets must be sold at the location during the event ● It must be promoted to raise funds for a good cause ● The results of the lottery can be drawn at the event or after it has fi nished ● No more than £100 can be deducted from the proceeds of the lottery for expenses incurred, such as for the cost of printing tickets, hire of equipment, etc ● No more than £500 can be deducted for prizes (There is no maximum limit on the value of donated prizes.) ● The raffl e cannot involve a rollover of prizes from one lottery to another.
Are we allowed to sell tickets for our raffl e before the event takes place? If you’re planning to sell tickets prior to the event, this is a ‘small society lottery’ and you must
register for a licence with your local authority. You would need to pay a small fee and comply with a range of regulatory requirements.
as a small society lottery . A raffl e is a form of gambling so there is a need for safeguards – visit gamblingcommission.
gov.uk for more guidance.
Are children permitted to buy (or sell) raffl e tickets at our school fair? They can in an incidental lottery but children under the age of 16 cannot sell tickets or participate
in a small society lottery.
Are there specifi c details that MUST be printed on our raffl e tickets? There are no specifi c requirements for details to be printed on tickets sold in an
incidental lottery. For a small society lottery, tickets must show the name of the promoting society, the ticket price, the name and address of the organiser and the date of the draw.
We have alcoholic prizes - are there any other licence requirements to consider? As long as prizes are in sealed containers a TEN isn’t required. If someone who appears to be
under 18 wins an alcoholic prize, checks should be made to verify their age. Good practice is to withhold the prize until it can be given to someone aged 18 or over.
Do we need to be a registered charity in order to run a raffl e or lottery? You do not need to be a registered charity to run a raffl e/lottery, however they
cannot be run for private or commercial gain. You will need to be set up as a non-commercial society if you are registering with your local authority
We’ve had to postpone our event. Can I put back the draw of our raffl e? If you are registered with your local authority to run a small society lottery then you need to
contact them in case they have specifi c terms and conditions you must adhere to. If you put back the date of the draw, you must make every attempt to notify those who have purchased tickets in the raffl e of the change to the draw date.
Are we able to sell raffl e/ tombola tickets for 50p each or three for £1? Under the Act for Incidental Lotteries there is no reference to ticket pricing so it is acceptable
to, for example, charge 50p for one ticket or £1 for three tickets. If, during the latter stages of the event there were still prizes left, there are no restrictions on reducing prices of tickets further in order to sell them. If you are running a small society lottery, it is a requirement that all tickets must cost the same price.
Further information
Read our more detailed raffl e FAQs at
pta.co.uk/licences. Further guidance can be found at
gamblingcommission.gov.uk. Or contact the licensing offi cer at your local authority.
pta.co.uk SPRING 2019 17
IMAGE: PAUWS99/
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
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