What Is a Raffle

A raffle is a type of lottery in which participants buy numbered tickets for the chance to win a prize, with winners selected at random. Under the Gambling Act 2005, a raffle meets the legal definition of a lottery and is regulated accordingly. The distinguishing feature of a raffle is that every prize must be won — there is no scenario in which a prize rolls over unclaimed to a future draw (except in specific small society lottery formats where rollovers are permitted within limits).

The Three Legal Elements

The Gambling Commission defines a lottery — and therefore a raffle — by the presence of three elements:

Payment. Participants pay to enter. The payment is the ticket price. If no payment is required, the arrangement is a free draw, not a lottery, and falls outside gambling regulation.

Prizes. One or more prizes are available to be won. The prizes may be cash, physical goods, vouchers, experiences, or any other item of value.

Chance. The allocation of prizes is determined wholly by chance. The winner is selected at random — by drawing a ticket from a container, using a tombola drum, or generating a random number. If any element of skill or judgement is involved in determining the winner, the arrangement is a competition, not a lottery.

All three elements must be present. Remove any one — payment, prizes, or chance — and the arrangement is not a lottery under the Act, and lottery regulation does not apply.

Raffle, Lottery, Tombola, Sweepstake, Prize Draw

These terms are used loosely in everyday language but have distinct meanings in law and practice.

Lottery. The broad legal category. Any arrangement involving payment, prizes, and chance is a lottery under the Gambling Act 2005. A raffle is one form of lottery. The National Lottery is another. All raffles are lotteries; not all lotteries are raffles.

Raffle. A lottery where numbered tickets are sold, a draw takes place on a set date, and winners are matched by ticket number. The term "raffle" is not defined separately in the Act — legally, it is simply a lottery. In common usage, "raffle" refers to the ticket-based format used by schools, charities, sports clubs, churches, and community organisations for fundraising.

Tombola. An instant-win variant of a lottery. Participants draw a ticket and discover immediately whether they have won — typically, tickets ending in 0 or 5 win a prize. There is no separate draw event. A tombola is legally classified as a lottery (usually an incidental lottery when held at an event) and is subject to the same rules. The practical difference is that prizes are awarded on the spot rather than at a scheduled draw. For full details, see Tombola.

Sweepstake. A lottery tied to the outcome of an external event — most commonly a horse race, football match, or sporting tournament. Participants pay to draw a random entry (a horse, a team) and win if their selection wins or places. A sweepstake among a closed group (such as colleagues in an office) is treated as a private lottery. A sweepstake open to the public is a lottery and must comply with the same registration or licensing requirements as any other raffle.

Prize draw. A draw where entry is free. Because there is no payment element, a prize draw is not a lottery under the Gambling Act 2005 and is not subject to lottery regulation. A prize draw may have a paid entry route alongside a free route, provided the free route is genuine, clearly communicated, and offers the same chance of winning. The Gambling Commission publishes guidance on the distinction between lotteries and free draws. See Online Raffles for how prize draws are used as an alternative to online ticket sales.

Summary Table

For a detailed breakdown of each raffle type and which category applies, see Raffle Types.

How a Raffle Works

A raffle follows a standard sequence. Numbered tickets are printed, each consisting of a main ticket and a detachable stub (also called a counterfoil). The buyer writes their name and contact details on the stub, tears it off, and hands it to the seller. The buyer retains the main ticket with the matching number.

On the draw date, all collected stubs are placed in a container — a bag, box, bucket, or tombola drum — and one stub is drawn at random for each prize. The number on the drawn stub identifies the winner. The winner presents (or is contacted with) the matching ticket to claim the prize.

The unique numbering on each ticket and stub is the mechanism that links a randomly drawn stub to a specific buyer. Without it, there is no verifiable way to identify winners.

For the full draw procedure, including witness requirements and recording obligations, see The Raffle Draw. For what must legally appear on a ticket, see Ticket Requirements.

Who Runs Raffles

Raffles are run by a wide range of organisations across the UK, primarily for fundraising purposes.

Schools and PTAs. Parent-teacher associations are among the most frequent raffle organisers, running draws at school fairs, Christmas events, and throughout the academic year. Most PTA raffles operate as incidental lotteries at events or as small society lotteries with advance ticket sales. See School Raffles.

Charities. Registered charities use raffles to raise funds for their purposes. A charity raffle follows the same legal framework as any other — the charitable status of the organiser does not create an exemption from the Gambling Act. Charities running raffles with advance sales must register as a small society lottery or, if exceeding the thresholds, hold a Gambling Commission licence.

Sports clubs. Football, rugby, cricket, and other sports clubs run raffles at matches and events — often in the 50/50 format, where half the ticket sales go to the winner and half to the club. See Sports Club Raffles.

Churches. Churches and religious organisations run raffles at fetes, harvest festivals, and seasonal events. The legal position is the same as for any non-commercial society, though some denominations have internal policies on gambling that may restrict or prohibit raffles. See Church Raffles.

Pubs. Pub raffles — including meat raffles and weekly draws — are a long-standing tradition. The legal classification depends on whether the raffle is held at an event (incidental lottery), restricted to members (private lottery), or run with advance sales (small society lottery). See Pub Raffles.

Workplaces. Office raffles and workplace draws typically operate as private lotteries, restricted to people who work on the same premises. See Workplace Raffles.

Raffle Types Under UK Law

The Gambling Act 2005 does not use the word "raffle" as a legal category. It regulates lotteries, and raffles fall within that framework. The rules that apply to a raffle depend on its type:

• Incidental lottery — held at an event, tickets sold on the day only, no licence or registration required. See Raffles Without a Licence.
• Small society lottery — advance ticket sales, registered with the local authority, subject to financial limits. See Small Society Lotteries.
• Large society lottery — exceeds small society thresholds, licensed by the Gambling Commission.
• Private lottery — restricted to members, workers, or residents. No registration required.

For a full comparison of types, including financial limits, ticket rules, and reporting requirements, see Raffle Types. For the complete legal framework, see UK Raffle Law.

Questions about raffles? See our help centre.

Last reviewed: February 2026