Lotteries

From the 1 September 2007 the Gambling Act replaced the provisions of the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976 and from that date those Societies registered with us under the 1976 Act were automatically registered under the new 2005 Act.

Lotteries

The Act defines a small society lottery with the definition breaking down into two distinct areas:

Society status

The society in question must be 'non-commercial'.

Size of lottery

The total value of tickets to be put on sale per single lottery must be £20,000 or less, or the total value of tickets to be put on sale for all their lotteries in a calendar year must not exceed £250,000. If the operator plans to exceed either of these values then they will be classed as a large lottery operator, and must be licensed with the Gambling Commission instead.

The promoting society of a small society lottery must, throughout the period during which the lottery is promoted, be registered with a licensing authority. The licensing authority with which a small society lottery is required to register must be in the area where their principal office is located.

If a licensing authority believes that a society's principal office is situated in another area, it should inform the society and the other authority as soon as possible.

Raffles

A raffle is where tickets are brought, sold and prizes are distributed on the same day or night while the event is taking place and proceeds go to charity are exempt.

However if you are unsure, please contact the Licensing Team at the address shown for advice.

Apply for a lotteries licence

Non-commercial small scale lotteries application form

Fees - New registration £40. Renewal £20. 

Registration

Please make all cheques or postal orders are made payable to the London Borough of Havering. You can also pay the fee by debit card by calling the Licensing Team on 01708 432777.