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Licensing

Licensing

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Society Lottery Registration

Lotteries in Northern Ireland are governed by the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (NI) Order.

You may need to apply for society lottery registration if you want to raise funds by organising prize draw, selling ballot or raffle tickets to the general public.

What is a Society Lottery?

Society Lotteries are a common way of fundraising and include draws, raffles, sweepstakes and ballots.

Participants buy tickets at fixed price and prize winners are selected by chance.

If your organisation runs any of the types of lotteries listed above it is likely you will need to be registered with Council.

A society’s lottery” means a lottery promoted on behalf of a society established and conducted wholly or mainly for one or more of the following purposes:

a) charitable purposes;
b) participation in, or support of, athletic sports or games or cultural activities; or
c) other purposes which are not purposes of private gain or of any commercial undertaking

Who needs to register?

A society lottery is the only lottery (except for ‘National Lottery’) in which tickets (or chances) may be sold to the general public.

All proceeds after lawful deductions must be applied to the purposes of the registered society. 

A “society” includes any club, institution, organisation or association of persons, by whatever name called, and any separate branch or section of such a club, institution, organisation or association.

Exemptions

An "exempt entertainment" is defined in Article 2(2) of the Order as a "bazaar, sale of work, fete, dinner, dance, sporting or athletic event or other entertainment of a similar character, whether limited to one day or extending over 2 or more days". 

If you are unsure as to whether or not your society will require to register please get in contact with the licensing section.

Documents required

Organisations wishing to apply to Council for registration must provide following documents along with application form:

  • Provide a Club constitution or similar document specifying the purposes for which the society is established and conducted.
  • Attach a copy of its lottery scheme showing how it proposes to run its lotteries.

How much will registration cost?

A fee of £35.00 is payable on application for initial registration of a society. 

Each year after the initial registration a renewal fee of £18.00 is payable to maintain the registration.

How long will registration last?

Society lottery registrations require annual renewal and expire on 31 December each year.

To ensure that your lottery registration remains valid you must complete and return a Renewal of Registration Form, allowing a minimum of two weeks for processing.

Further details on Society Lotteries are available from Department for Communities.

Contact us

Please contact us in the first instance if you have any queries in relation to lottery registration:

T: 028 2826 2498
E: licensing@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Licensing Section
Mid & East Antrim Borough Council
Public Protection and Wellbeing Department
Smiley Buildings
Victoria Road
Larne
BT40 1RU