Government considers society lotteries reform to benefit good causes

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Maximum amount lotteries can raise, their prize draws and ticket sales to be considered

  • The consultation will recommend raising the maximum amount society lotteries can raise for good causes from £10 million to £100 million per year
  • Consultation will recommend raising maximum draw prize
  • Large society lotteries sales limits were last raised in 2009

consultation has today been launched on changes to the amount of money society lotteries can raise for good causes.

The Government recommends increasing the maximum draw prize from its current limit of £400,000 to £500,000. The consultation will also ask for views on increasing the number of tickets society lotteries can sell to a value of £100 million per year and the amount they can raise per draw to £5 million.

The move would allow charities and community groups to increase fundraising methods through society lotteries, while protecting the National Lottery’s ability to raise money for good causes.

Tracey Crouch, Minister for Sport and Civil Society said:

Society lotteries make a vital difference to communities up and down the country. They raise hundreds of millions of pounds every year, supporting our veterans, lifeboats, hospices, air ambulances and many other great causes.

They are an important fundraising tool for charities and we want to ensure that both society lotteries and the National Lottery are able to thrive now and in the future.

Society lotteries – such as those run by charities, The Health Lottery and People’s Postcode Lottery – raised over £255 million for good causes in 2016/17.

The individual draw limit for large society lotteries was last raised in 2009. The government’s decision to consult follows the sector’s calls for limits to be increased.

The consultation will run for ten weeks and is open to members of the public.