Charitable collections and lotteries
Charities and lotteries are licensed to make sure their activities
are legitimate and that all funds are accounted for. Such
activities include the control of street collections and
house-to-house collections.
Gambling Act 2005 - lotteries
The Gambling Act 2005 came on the 1 September 2007 and
replaced the Lotteries & Amusement Act 1976.
Societies, which fulfil the criteria outlined below and were
required under Schedule 1 of the 1976 Act to register with the
Licensing Authority, are designated as Small Society
Lotteries under the Act:
- You are a non-commercial society*
- In neither the current calendar year, nor any past three
calendar years, the proceeds of any one lottery has been capable of
exceeding £20,000, and the aggregate proceeds of all lotteries
promoted by you has not exceeded £250,000.
- The lottery is promoted for the purposes of the society.
- At least 20% of the lottery proceeds are applied to the society
purposes.
- No prize is greater in value than £25,000.
- Tickets comply with certain conditions, including that they are
each of the same price.
(GAMBLING ACT 2005 SCHEDULE 11 PARTS 4 (30)-(38))
* A Society is defined as a non-commercial organisation
established and conducted:
- For charitable purposes,
- For the purpose of enabling participation in, or supporting of,
sport, athletics or cultural activity, or
- For any other non-commercial purpose other than that of private
gain.
(GAMBLING ACT 2005 s19)
Under the Act, only Small Society Lotteries are registered with
the Licensing Authority. If you believe that your Lottery
Registration falls outside the definition of a Small Society
Lottery, you should contact the Gambling Commission
(external link) who will be able to provide more information
regarding the licences required to run other types of
lottery.
In accordance with the Gambling Act 2005, details of all
lottery registrations with the Licensing Authority will be passed
to the Gambling Commission
(external link).
Small Society Lottery registrations operate in a similar manner to
the previous registrations; Return Forms are expected
quarterly and the annual fee and a Scheme Form will be
expected by 1 January for renewals.
Any valid Small Society lottery registrations must be
presented with a Registration Certificate under the Gambling Act
2005.
For further information, or to request an application pack for any
charitable collection, please contact the Licensing Service through
the online Licensing
Enquiry Form, by calling 01695 577177, or by email on
licensing.enquiries@westlancsdc.gov.uk.
Related information