Online Raffle UK Laws...

[DZ1.]

Hi All,

I have a few questions/assumptions I would like to clear up, so any light you are able to shed would be greatly appreciated.

First of all, I believe that hosting an online raffle for personal gain is illegal, however I am looking to host a series of online raffles for a chosen charity. For example, Prize X is bought, 200 "tickets" are sold via the internet with all proceeds (once prize x is paid for) going to a chosen charity, and a winner is chosen at random who will thus receive prize X.

Is such a situation lawful? what licenses would I need?

Many Thanks,

DZ1

 

[Billmccallum]

see http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/19/part/11

 

[The Resolver]

It is irrelevant whether the objective is personal gain or for the gain of others. If a charge is made to participate and no skill is involved then it is a lottery and illegal unless coming within certain exemptions.

It is not made legal simply by presenting the profits to a charity, whether pre-declared or not. The charity itself, or any members society, etc can run a paid for lottery to increase its own funds.

The answer is to add in an element of skill. The skill must be such as to either deter a significant number of potential participants from paying to participate or prevent a significant proportion from winning a prize.

 

[Toughcookie]

Absolutely right Resolver, but even so you will still be up against the charities commission who do not approve of online gambling to support their charities. yes, sounds stupid, but they believe that you are taking away their potential gains - this is not speculation it is first hand knowledge.

Also, whatever way you go you should ensure that you have the Gambling Commission on your side.

I also suggest that you do not have anything that relates back to you personally and where you live as there is a band of "warriors" (actually trouble makers) who set about ruining online raffles and the people who run them - again I know this first hand.

 

[banhamd]

"The answer is to add in an element of skill. The skill must be such as to either deter a significant number of potential participants from paying to participate or prevent a significant proportion from winning a prize."

Whats the definition of significant? Obviously we all see examples like the telephone poles on tv... who is the current prime minister - daffy duck, hitler, or David Cameron. IS there fact you offered two completely implausible alternatives seen as introducing skill?

I was interested in exploring a simple transparent raffle style website with fixed parameters (margin and or odds) to get gain trust as an alternative to the penny auction sites etc who do appear to largely rig the outcome. obviously wary that others appear to have tried and failed even when for charity ( raffle.it) - personal gain yes but within clear , honest , framework

 

[The Resolver]

The tv polls do not require an entry fee and thus do not require skill.

The definition is at the end of my earlier post.

 

[banhamd]

ahh so the fixed charge for the call doesn't count as an entry fee... I assumed it would. thanks for the clarity Resolver

 

[banhamd]

just to be clear as i could n't see it on your posts... is significant actually defined as a quantifiable value?

 

[The Resolver]

ahh so the fixed charge for the call doesn't count as an entry fee... I assumed it would. thanks for the clarity Resolver

A premium rated call does amount to a payment (I overlooked that they use those lines). However,if you offer a free way to play the game , eg by post, then it does not become a lottery.So there is a way to do this by offering a free entry route and focus on the revenue from those who use the phone lines.

 

[The Resolver]

just to be clear as i could n't see it on your posts... is significant actually defined as a quantifiable value?

No- the skill must be such as to either deter a significant number of potential participants from paying to participate or prevent a significant proportion from winning a prize.