Gambling Policy

Non-commercial gaming is permitted if it takes place at a non-commercial event, either as an incidental or principal activity at the event. Events are non-commercial if no part of the proceeds is for private profit or gain. The proceeds of such events may benefit one or more individuals if the activity is organised:

• by, or on behalf of, a charity or for charitable purposes
• to enable participation in, or support of, sporting, athletic or cultural activities

Charities and community groups should contact the Licensing Authority for further advice.

The Licensing Authority will register and administer smaller non-commercial lotteries and applicants for lottery licences must apply to the Licensing Authority in the area where their principal office is located.

The society in question must be 'non-commercial' and the total value of tickets to be put on sale per single lottery must be £20,000 or less, or the aggregate value of tickets to be put on sale for all their lotteries in a calendar year must not exceed £250,000. If the operator plans to exceed either of these values then they may need to be licensed with the Commission to operate large lotteries instead.

For initial applications and where there is a change of promoter, the licensing authority reserves the right to require the promoter of the lottery to produce a 'basic' criminal records disclosure. For new applications, the licensing authority shall require the promoter of the lottery to produce a 'basic' Criminal Records disclosure dated no earlier than one calendar month on the day the application is received by the Licensing Authority.

The Licensing Authority may refuse an application for registration if in their opinion:

• the applicant is not a non-commercial society
• a person who will or may be connected with the promotion of the lottery has been convicted of a relevant offence
• information provided in or with the application for registration is false or misleading

Where the Licensing Authority intends to refuse registration by a Society, it will give the Society an opportunity to make representations and will inform the Society of the reasons why it is minded to refuse registration and supply evidence on which it has reached that preliminary conclusion. In any event, the Licensing Authority will make clear its procedures on how it handles representations.

The Licensing Authority may revoke the registered status of a lottery if it thinks that they would have had to, or would be entitled to; refuse an application for registration if it were being made at that time. However, no revocations will take place unless the Society has been given the opportunity to make representations. The Licensing Authority will inform the society of the reasons why it is minded to revoke the registration and will provide an outline of the evidence on which it has reached that preliminary conclusion.

The Licensing Authority will adopt a risk based approach towards enforcement responsibilities for small society lotteries. This authority considers that the following list, although not exclusive, could affect the risk status of the operator:

• submission of late returns (returns must be submitted no later than three months after the date on which the lottery draw was held)
• submission of incomplete or incorrect returns
• breaches of the limits for small society lotteries