Society Lotteries
Introduction
Societies, charities, and clubs may organise fundraising events such as lotteries, bingo nights, or race nights, provided they are registered with the Gambling Supervision Commission and operate within the legal framework set out in the Gaming, Betting and Lotteries Act 1988.
These events are intended to be social and entertaining, not commercial gambling operations. Specific rules govern how they must be conducted, including limits on ticket prices, prize values, and how winnings are distributed.
Society Lotteries
Society Lotteries, commonly known as bingo events, race nights, raffles or tombola’s, are designed to raise funds for charitable or community purposes by clubs, societies or charities registered societies.
They can only be run by a society who has registered with the GSC to hold these events. They must adhere to the following rules:
- They must be held in one place on a single day and last no more than 4 hours
- No remuneration can be paid to the promoter
- All proceeds must benefit the society’s objectives
- Maximum ticket price: £1 per ticket or chance
- Standard prize limit: £2,000 maximum per prize
- Jackpot prize limit: £10,000, but only if authorised by the GSC
You’ll find the relevant application forms, registration guidance, and compliance requirements further down on this page.
Bingo and Race Nights
These events are for fun and fundraising—not private profit.
Bingo
- Must be played in one venue, on the same day
- Cannot be linked to other games or venues
Race Nights
- Involve betting on pre-recorded races
- Participants must not know the outcome beforehand
Both must be run by registered societies and follow specific conditions.
Return to Licensing home page-
Guidance documents for making an application
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Registration and Return Forms
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Legislation relevant to running a society lottery, bingo event or a race night
Gaming, Betting and Lotteries (Amendment) Act 2001
The Gaming, Betting and Lotteries Act 1988 (GBLA) and the Gaming, Betting and Lotteries (Amendment) Act 2001 regulate land-based betting and bookmaking and amusements with prizes and sets out legal requirements and restrictions relating to:
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Lotteries.
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Betting (including at racecourses).
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Bookmaking.
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Amusements with prizes (AWP).
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Totalisator (that is, a computer that registers bets and divides the total amount of the bet among those who won).
The GBLA permits gaming, which is defined in the GBLA as “the playing of a game of chance for winnings in money or money’s worth, whether or not any person playing the game is at risk of losing any money or money’s worth”, subject to certain prohibitions set out therein.
In order to use premises as a betting office in the Isle of Man, the premises will need to be licensed as a betting office and the person using the premises needs to be licensed as a bookmaker.
It is an offence to use non-licensed premises for betting or to operate as a bookmaker without a permit under the GBLA.
No licence is required under the GBLA for betting transactions that are authorised by a licence under OGRA and carried out in accordance with the provisions of the GBLA and the terms of the licence (other than the negotiating or receiving of any bet from a person in the Island by means of an electronic communication).
The GBLA also gives power to make regulations, which include:
which prescribes the conditions to be complied with where bingo is played as part of a fund-raising event.
which prescribes the conditions to be complied with by a lottery forming part of a fund-raising event.
which provides how a registered charity (as defined) may advertise its fundraising lotteries.
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