Gambling - Government Response to Lotteries Consultation

We previously reported in our March article ‘Consultation on proposals to remove various lottery restrictions‘ that the DCMS had launched a ‘fast-tracked' consultation on proposals to remove various restrictions that apply to certain types of lotteries.

The consultation had proposed lifting restrictions on incidental non-commercial lotteries to also allow them to be held at commercial events and to allow private society, work and residents' lotteries to be able to raise money for charities and good causes.

Yesterday, the Government issued a response (which can be viewed here) in which it said it:

1. intends to proceed with lifting the restriction and allowing incidental lotteries to take place at both non-commercial and commercial events. The Government further intends to lift the restriction on the result of a lottery being made public while an event is taking place, to allow lotteries such as balloon races to raise funds for charity.
2. intends to lift the restriction on small society lotteries to allow them to donate the proceeds to a charity of their choice.
3. intends to abolish the requirement for specific information to be printed on the tickets for work and residents' lotteries. However, the requirement for the ticket to be non-transferrable remains and the Government will ask the Gambling Commission, when it revises its guidance on private society, work and residents' lotteries, to ensure the promoter of the lottery takes measures to make all players aware of this stipulation.
4. Has decided to proceed with the removal of the restrictions preventing incidental non-commercial, private society, work and residents' lotteries proceeds from being donated to charity and good causes.
5. Has decided not to extend work lotteries to a multi-site basis as this could lead large companies with sites located nationwide (eg supermarket chains) to possibly being able to run work lotteries on a scale that would lead to an undesirable overlap with the functions and purpose of small society lotteries.
6. Has decided to proceed with the abolition of the requirement for the results of incidental non-commercial lotteries to be announced during the event. This will allow lotteries, such as balloon races, to raise funds for charity.
7. Has also decided to abolish the requirement for work and residents' lottery tickets to display the name and address of the promoter. However, the Government will ask the Gambling Commission to include in their guidance to promoters of exempt lotteries that they should take measures to ensure consumers are aware that tickets purchased for these types of lottery are non-transferrable.

The Government will now proceed, via an appropriate legislative vehicle, with its recommendations to remove the restrictions from these particular lotteries to enable proceeds to be donated to charity.