Christmas raffle and lottery rules for a UK charity

Run a Christmas raffle for your charity: incidental lottery limits, small society lottery registration, ticket rules and Gift Aid, plus what to ask the council.

In short A UK charity raffle usually takes one of two routes. An incidental lottery at your event needs no registration but is capped at £100 costs and £500 bought prizes, with tickets sold only on site. A small society lottery needs council registration and allows £20,000 per lottery. Ask the council about the rest.

A raffle looks easy, but in law it is a lottery, so the type you choose decides what you may sell and where.

Which kind of Christmas raffle can your charity run?

Under the Gambling Act 2005 the Gambling Commission is the regulator, and small charities usually choose between two routes: an incidental lottery held at an event, or a small society lottery registered with the local council. Which one fits depends on where tickets are sold and how big the draw is.

  • Selling tickets only at your Christmas fair, carol concert or dinner: an incidental lottery.
  • Selling tickets in advance, online or by phone, over several weeks: a small society lottery.

This guide covers England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland differ, so ask locally.

How does an incidental lottery work at a Christmas fair?

An incidental lottery is a raffle held at and during a larger event, such as a Christmas fair, fête or charity dinner, for charitable purposes. The limits are tight, so plan your prizes around them first.

  • No more than £100 can be deducted for costs.
  • No more than £500 can be spent on prizes you buy. Donated prizes are not limited.
  • Tickets are sold only at the event, while it takes place.
  • The draw can take place during or after the event.
  • No rollovers are allowed.

This is the lightest route and suits a hamper draw at a fair. Tickets sold before the day fall outside it.

When do you need a small society lottery?

If you want to sell tickets before the event, to supporters who cannot attend, or online, you need a small society lottery. A non commercial society must be registered with the local authority where its head office is. In Scotland the licensing board handles it.

The key limits for a small society lottery, from the Gambling Commission and the Gambling Act 2005, are these:

  • Up to £20,000 of tickets sold per lottery.
  • Up to £250,000 of tickets sold in a calendar year across all your lotteries.
  • At least 20% of the proceeds must go to the purposes of the society.
  • A single prize can be worth up to £25,000.
  • Tickets can be sold to and by people aged 16 or over.

Above those limits you need an operating licence from the Gambling Commission, applied for before you cross the line. Councils charge registration fees and ask for a return after each draw, so ask yours for current figures.

Can you sell Christmas raffle tickets online?

Yes, with a registered small society lottery. The Gambling Commission guidance says online and telephone sales are allowed without a separate remote gambling licence. Selling on the street or in shopping malls is not allowed under this route.

Your tickets must show the name of the society, one price for every ticket, the name and address of the promoter and the draw date. If you use an external lottery manager, they need their own Gambling Commission operating licence.

Does Gift Aid apply to raffle tickets?

No. HMRC guidance treats the payment for a raffle or lottery ticket as payment for the right to take part, not as a gift, so you cannot claim Gift Aid on it.

Gift Aid still matters for the rest of your Christmas appeal. A charity can claim 25p on every £1 given, when the donor has made a valid declaration. A £100 gift becomes £125. Only recognised charities and registered CASCs can claim.

How do you plan a Christmas raffle in 6 weeks?

Decide the legal route first, then the prizes. A team of 5 to 10 volunteers is plenty for a Christmas fair raffle, and 6 weeks gives you time for registration if you need it.

  1. Week 6: choose the route, and contact the council if you need to register.
  2. Weeks 5 to 4: ask local businesses for donated prizes, and agree one ticket price.
  3. Weeks 3 to 2: print tickets with all the required details, and announce the draw.
  4. Draw day: draw in public, announce winners and thank everyone.
  5. After the draw: file any council return and thank everyone.

Donated prizes keep you inside the £500 limit. For more formats, see Christmas fundraising ideas for a charity and a Christmas market fundraiser. For the full timeline, read how to plan a Christmas fundraiser.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

Your raffle stays at your fair or under your registered lottery. WeGlow.world handles what surrounds it: a donation page in three steps, with one off and monthly gifts, that works on a phone.

Supporters can start their own fundraiser page for your Christmas appeal, and you can set up thank you texts so donors hear from you quickly. If you want a festive look, our Christmas experiences are still a concept until the official launch. In the Card Wall, every gift becomes a card on a string of envelopes with a stamp, and in the Glow Room every gift becomes a decoration on a 3D Christmas tree. See the Card Wall and the Glow Room, browse the Christmas hub or start free at weglow.world.

What should you still ask the council or the Gambling Commission?

We could not confirm these points, so ask your local council or the Gambling Commission before printing tickets.

  • Whether the limits of £20,000 and £250,000 have changed this year.
  • The exact registration fee, renewal fee and return deadline in your area.
  • Rules in Northern Ireland and, in detail, in Scotland.
  • What the Fundraising Regulator Code asks of you for prize draws and free draws.

Frequently asked questions

These are the questions charities ask most before a Christmas raffle.

Do we need a licence for a raffle at our Christmas fair?

Not for an incidental lottery that stays within the limits: £100 of costs, £500 of bought prizes, tickets sold only at the event. Outside those limits you need another route, such as a registered small society lottery. Confirm with your council.

How much money can a small society lottery raise?

Up to £20,000 of tickets per lottery and £250,000 per calendar year. At least 20% of the proceeds must go to the purposes of the society.

Who may buy tickets?

For a small society lottery, tickets can be sold to and by people aged 16 or over. For an incidental lottery, check the age rules with the Gambling Commission before you sell at your event.

Can we claim Gift Aid on raffle tickets?

No. A raffle ticket is a payment for the chance to win, not a gift. Separate donations with a valid declaration can still qualify.

Can we draw the raffle after Christmas?

An incidental lottery draw can take place during or after the event, but tickets must be sold at the event. For a longer sales period, register a small society lottery and set your draw date in advance.

Sources

All sources checked on 9 October 2026.

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