Raffle Ticket Licence Information

Do I Need a Licence for a Raffle?

Under the Gambling Act 2005, raffles are classified as lotteries. Whether you need to register depends on how you sell your tickets. Most raffles where tickets are sold in advance to the general public need to be registered as a small society lottery with your local council. Raffles held at a single event where tickets are only sold on the day generally do not.

We've put together this guide to help you understand the rules. If you're unsure, your local authority's licensing department can advise, or you can check the Gambling Commission's lotteries toolkit.

Small Society Lottery Registration

If tickets are to be sold to the general public in advance of the draw, the raffle must be registered with the licensing department of your local council. Registration typically costs around £40 for the first year and £20 per year to renew.

To qualify as a small society lottery, the society running the raffle must be established for one or more of the following purposes:

  • Charitable purposes.
  • Participation in, or support of, athletic sports, games or cultural activities.
  • Any other non-commercial purpose that is not for private gain.

This covers most schools, PTAs, churches, sports clubs, community groups, and registered charities.

Financial Limits

Small society lotteries must operate within these limits set by the Gambling Act 2005:

  • No more than £20,000 of tickets may be sold in a single draw.
  • Total ticket sales across all draws must not exceed £250,000 in any calendar year.
  • No single prize may be worth more than £25,000.
  • At least 20% of the proceeds must go to the good cause (the society's purpose).

If your raffle exceeds these limits, you will need a licence from the Gambling Commission rather than a local authority registration.

What Must Be Printed on the Ticket?

The Gambling Act 2005 requires the following details on every raffle ticket:

  • Organisation name — the name of the society on whose behalf the lottery is being promoted.
  • Ticket price — each ticket must show the price. Every ticket in the lottery must cost the same amount — discounted “book deals” are not permitted (e.g. you cannot charge 20p per ticket but 90p for a book of five).
  • Promoter's name and address — the person responsible for running the lottery. For clubs and organisations, this can read “Promoter: The Committee” with the organisation's address.
  • Date of the draw — when the winning tickets will be drawn.

We also strongly recommend including your registration number, prize details (or “See prize list”), and the purpose of the raffle. See our Raffle Ticket Guide for a visual example of how these details appear on a finished ticket.

Incidental Lotteries (No Registration Needed)

If you are running a raffle at a single event — such as a school fete, dinner dance, or charity evening — and tickets are only sold to people present at the event on the day, it is classed as an incidental (non-commercial) lottery. These do not require registration with the council.

However, there are some conditions:

  • Tickets must only be sold at the event, not in advance.
  • The draw must take place during the event.
  • No more than £100 may be deducted from the proceeds for expenses (e.g. printing tickets).
  • The raffle must not be the main purpose of the event.

Even for incidental lotteries, it is good practice to include as much detail as possible on the ticket.

Age Restrictions

Under the Gambling Act 2005, raffle tickets may only be sold by a person aged 16 or over, and may only be sold to a person aged 16 or over.

Reporting Requirements

After each draw, the promoting society must send a return to the local authority with which it is registered. This must be submitted within three months of the draw and should include details of ticket sales, expenses, prizes, and the amount applied to the society's purposes.

Your Registration Details and Your Ticket

When you place your order with us, simply provide your registration number and local authority name — we do not need to see the registration certificate itself. We will print these details on your tickets along with all the other required information.

If your raffle does not require registration (e.g. an incidental lottery at an event), the ticket should state something like “Private draw — tickets available to those present only”, or similar wording.

Need Help?

If you're not sure whether your raffle needs to be registered, or what details to include on your tickets, please contact us and we'll be happy to help. You can also visit our Raffle Ticket Guide for a full visual breakdown of what goes on a raffle ticket, or browse our raffle ticket designs to get started.