Limits placed on small society lotteries and regulations
The limits are as follows -
- at least 20% of the lottery proceeds must be applied to the purposes of the society. Schedule 11, paragraph 33
- no single prize may be worth more than £25,000. Schedule 11, paragraph 34
- rollovers between lotteries are only permitted where every lottery affected is also a small society lottery promoted by the same society. The maximum single prize is £25,000. Schedule 11, paragraph 35
- every ticket in the lottery must cost the same. The ticket fee must be paid to the society before entry into the draw is allowed. That is that the society must take payment. Schedule 11, paragraph 37
Registered Small Society lottery ticket regulations
Lotteries may involve the issuing of physical or virtual tickets to participants. A virtual ticket is non-physical. For example, in the form of an email or text message. Schedule 11(36) requires that a purchaser of a small society lottery ticket must receive a document. It must identify -
- the name of the promoting society
- the price of the ticket. It must be the same for all tickets
- the name and address of the member of the society who is designated as having responsibility at the society for promoting small lotteries. Or it can be of the external lottery manager. This is the case if there is an external manager
- the date of the draw, or enables the date to be determined
The need to provide this information can be satisfied by giving opportunity for participants to keep the message electronically. Or they can print it.
The Act requires that lottery tickets may only be sold by persons 16 years or over to persons 16 years or over.