About lotteries
Lotteries are arrangements where people pay to participate for the chance of winning a prize. Raffles, tombolas, and sweepstakes are all types of lottery. Free draws and prize competitions are not types of lottery.
There are several types of lottery, some of which require a licence:
A licence from the Gambling Commission is required for a large society lottery, eg one that:
- has proceeds that exceed £20,000 for a single draw; and
- has aggregate proceeds from lotteries in excess of £250,000 in any one year.
A licence from the the local authority is required for a small society lottery (apply online), eg one that:
- does not have proceeds that exceed £20,000 for a single draw; and
- does not have aggregate proceeds from lotteries in excess of £250,000 in any one year.
The following lotteries are exempt under the Gambling Act 2005
- work lottery;
- residents' lottery;
- customer lottery;
- lottery ticket machines; and
- lottery syndicates.
If you have any further questions about lotteries, email premises.licensing@manchester.gov.uk