UK increases society lottery limits
The limit on individual draw proceeds will rise from £4million to £5million, and the annual aggregate limit will increase from £10million to £50million.
UK.- The UK Gambling Commission has announced an increase on prize limits for society lotteries.
The move comes in response to a consultation launched in December 2019, and previous government-led consultation.
Limits on the size of society lotteries will be raised in line with changes to the 2005 Gambling Act, announced in July 2019.
The limit on individual draw proceeds will rise from £4million to £5million, and the annual aggregate limit will increase from £10million to £50million.
The maximum individual prize will rise from £400,000 to £500,000, provided the lottery proceeds comply with the new maximum individual draw level.
The changes will come into effect from July 29, 2020. The new limits will be applied on a pro-rata basis for what remains of the year.
The UK Gambling Commission will also put in place new requirements and guidance on providing clear information to consumers before purchase on the percentage of funds given to good causes, expenditure on prizes and expenses, the allocation of prizes, and chances of wining.
This information may be included in marketing communications, advertisements, promotions, the lottery website, ticket documentation and terms and conditions.
Exact amounts may not be specified when they are impossible to determine in advance, but licensees should consider the best way to provide a reasonable estimate, the Commission said.
Sarah Gardner, Executive Director at the Gambling Commission, said: “This consultation has strengthened several important aspects of our licence conditions and codes of practice which apply to society lotteries.
“It is critical that consumers have information available to them to help make fully informed decisions about whether to participate in lotteries.
“These changes will make sure that consumers have access to that information, and the key areas which they and wider stakeholders told us were important to them.”
Calls to allow society lotteries to offer larger prizes to be able to compete with the National Lottery and raise money for good causes were first put to the UK government in 2017.
