Lottery returns
Every society registered with the council to run small lotteries must submit a statement providing:
- the date on which the tickets were available for sale or supply
- the date of the draw
- the total proceeds from the lottery
- the amounts deducted by the promoters of the lottery for costs of organising the lottery
- the amount given directly to the purpose of the promoted society (at least 20% of the gross proceeds)
- if any lottery expenses were not paid by deduction from the proceeds and if so, the expense total and the source they were paid from
A registered society's statement must be sent to us within three months of the day on which the draw (or last draw) took place. It must be signed by two members of the society appointed in writing for that purpose by the society's governing body and accompanied by a copy of that appointment.
As the purpose of these lotteries is to raise money for non-commercial causes, the act requires that a minimum proportion of the money raised by the lottery is channelled to the goals of the society that promoted the lottery. If a small society lottery does not comply with these limits, it will be in breach of the act's provisions and the promoter will be liable for prosecution.
The Gambling Commission may ask to inspect a society's returns, so the council must retain returns for a minimum period of three years from the date of the lottery draw.
Any reports of sales of lottery tickets to or by children less than 16 years old would give reason to fully investigate the specific circumstances of a small society lottery.