I am running a raffle, tombola or lottery, do I need a licence?

A lottery is a kind of gambling which has three essential ingredients:

• you have to pay to enter the game
• there is always at least one prize
• prizes are awarded purely on chance

A typical 'small society lottery' is a raffle where players buy a ticket with a number on it. The tickets are randomly drawn and those holding the same numbered tickets win prizes. Another version is a sweepstake - for example, where the participants pay to randomly pick a name in a 'guess the name of the teddy' game. The person who guesses the winning name wins the teddy.

An 'incidental non-commercial lottery' does not require any permissions or licences. These are held at non-commercial events, such as school fêtes. All ticket sales and draws must take place during the event.

A 'small society lottery' requires a licence from Breckland Council. The society in question must be set up for non-commercial purposes, i.e. charitable.