Licence |
Small Society Lottery Registration |
Summary |
A small society lottery is a draw when tickets are sold in advance with the draw made on a set date e.g. if a sports club/PTA has a Christmas draw and sells tickets in advance.
These lotteries must only be run in support of good causes, such as charity fundraising, and cannot be run for private or commercial gain. If your organisation (or ‘society’) is planning a lottery in the area, you must by law obtain a Confirmation of Registration from Bath & North East Somerset Council. This does not apply to lotteries or draws that are organised nationally, or to those which do not sell tickets to the general public (e.g. private society lotteries).
Raffles e.g. those held at discos with the tickets sold at the event and the draw made on the same day do not require to be registered. |
Fee |
You may pay in person or over the phone (01225 477531) using a credit or debit card. |
Application Form |
An online application form is currently being developed. The Government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has supplied some of the following application forms:
Other Forms
The application form should be sent to us by post or email to the address on the left under "Contact Us". Please contact Licensing Services if you would like us to send you any of these forms. |
Eligibility Criteria |
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Application Process |
Applications must be in writing (including by electronic means) and must include:
The application form should be sent to us by post or email to the address on the left under "Contact Us". |
Consultation |
There is no consultation process, but on receipt of a valid application we will contact the Gambling Commission to advise them of your registration. |
Evaluation |
If your application is approved, your society will be registered with us and we will send you a Confirmation of Registration. There is no statutory period for determining applications. |
Tacit Consent |
The Gambling Act 2005 is not subject to the EU Services Directive and tacit consent does not apply. |
Right of Appeal |
Please contact your legal advisor or Licensing Services. |
Conditions |
There are no conditions as such, but it is good practice to familiarise yourself with Part 4 Schedule 11 of the Gambling Act 2005. The promoter must send a return detailing the proceeds of each lottery held to Licensing Services within three months of the date on which the draw takes place.
Section 34 of the Gambling Commission’s Guidance states: |
Validity/Renewals |
Unless a shorter period is specifically stated, all registrations will be granted for the life of the society. An annual fee is payable every year to maintain the registration. |
Guidance |
There are legal regulations for carrying out lotteries. The explanatory notes sent with the application forms explain these regulations, but if you have further enquiries you should seek independent legal advice. You must send us a financial return (‘Return by Promoter’) showing how much money was collected and how much of this went to the charity. The Council must have received your return by the end of the third month after the collection. Your return must be signed by the lottery promoter, and also by two authorised members of your society. A blank return will be sent to you with your confirmation of registration. The Council's Statement of Principles outlines the principles it proposes to apply when exercising its functions under the Act. Please contact either the Gambling Commission or B&NES Licensing Services for further guidance. |
Relevant Legislation |
We have made the information on these web pages as comprehensive as possible. However, in attempting to simplify the law, certain requirements have been omitted. Full details of what you must do are in the relevant legislation. |
Trade Associations |
None |
Customer Complaints |
If you wish to make a complaint please complete the online submission form. |
Further Information |
For details of small lotteries registered in Bath & North East Somerset please see the Licensing Database webpage. For further information and guidance please phone Licensing Services on 01225 477531 or email licensing@bathnes.gov.uk. |