Raffle rules and terms template (UK)

TL;DR

Every UK raffle, prize competition, or free draw needs published rules — both because the law requires it and because clear rules cut disputes. The template below is a starting point; adapt the bracketed fields and remove sections that don't apply to your legal route. This isn't legal advice — get a solicitor to review high-value or high-volume raffles.

The template

1. The Promoter

[Promoter legal name] of [registered address], [company / charity number if applicable] ("the Promoter").

2. Legal route

This [society lottery / prize competition / free draw] is operated under [Schedule 2 of the Gambling Act 2005 — small society lottery, registered with [Local Authority], registration number [number]] / [as a prize competition with a free-entry route, not requiring a Gambling Commission licence] / [as a free draw, not requiring a Gambling Commission licence].

3. Eligibility

• Entrants must be [age — the legal minimum is 16 for society lotteries; prize competitions and free draws have no statutory age limit, but most promoters set 18 as a policy choice] or over and resident in the United Kingdom (and/or [other territories]).
• Employees of the Promoter, their immediate family, and anyone professionally connected with the [raffle / competition / draw] are not eligible to enter.

4. How to enter

Paid entries: [number] entries per ticket, purchased via [URL]. Ticket price: £[amount]. Every ticket is sold at the same price and the ticket fee must be paid before the entry is processed.

Free-entry route (prize competitions only): post your name, address, date of birth, and a hand-written copy of [the platform-published free-entry phrase] to [free-entry address] to receive one entry per envelope, equally weighted with paid entries. Free entries received after [closing date and time] will not be processed.

5. The prize

The prize is [description]. Approximate retail value: £[amount]. The prize is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative except where stated.

6. Closing date and the draw

The [raffle / competition / draw] closes at [time] on [date]. The winner will be drawn by [a publicly verifiable commit-reveal RNG combined with the drand public randomness beacon] on [draw date]. The verification page will be published at [URL].

7. Notification

The winner will be notified by email within [N] days of the draw. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not respond within [N] days, the Promoter reserves the right to redraw.

8. Cancellation, refunds, and target not met

If the [raffle / competition / draw] is cancelled before the closing date, all paid entries will be refunded. If the target ticket sales are not met by the closing date, [the Promoter will deliver the prize as advertised] / [a winner will be drawn and will receive [40]% of gross ticket revenue as cash, with the remaining proceeds applied as set out in section [N]].

9. Data protection

Personal data provided when entering is processed in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Promoter's privacy notice at [URL].

10. Governing law

These rules are governed by the laws of England and Wales (or as applicable in Scotland / Northern Ireland). Any dispute is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

Customising for your raffle

• Society lottery? Replace section 2 with your local-authority registration details and the society's constitution reference.
• Prize competition? Section 4 must accurately describe the free-entry route, the equal weighting, and the deadline.
• Free draw? Drop the "paid entries" clause and the free-entry-route prose.
• Multiple prizes? Expand section 5 to list each prize in rank order.

Cross-reference how to run a raffle legally in the UK for the route-by-route details and our pricing page for the platform-fee context that you may want to mention in section 8. Have a solicitor sign off the final version if you're running anything material.