The Gambling Act 2005 specifies eight categories of permitted lotteries, only some of which require permission from either the Gambling Commission or the local authority.

You can read more about each type of lottery via the links below. Only a small society lottery requires registration with the local authority. 

• Private society lotteries
• Work lotteries
• Residents' lotteries
• Incidental lotteries or lotteries held at events 
• Customer lotteries
• Small society lotteries
• Large society lotteries
• Local authority lotteries

Please complete the online application form. This form must be accompanied by the following documents in order for the licensing authority to consider an application:

• A copy of the society’s terms and conditions, or constitution, to establish that they are a non-commercial society
• A declaration from the applicant, stating that they represent a bona-fide non-commercial society
• A copy of appointment in writing of two members of the society, over the age of 18 years, authorised to sign return statement, or if it has one, a governing body

Societies are required to be registered with their licensing authority in the area their head office is located. You may apply to Winchester City Council if the society's head office is located within the Winchester District. 

The fee to register a small society lottery is £40. Lottery registrations are valid for a period of one year only. To renew a society's lottery registration the fee is £20. Failure to renew the registration in time will result in it being cancelled. The society will then have to re-register as a new lottery.

Under para 39 of Schedule 11, the society must send returns to the licensing authority within three months of each lottery held. Information on the returns can be found in the Guidance Notes. A copy of the return form can be downloaded here. 

Please send all returns to licensing@winchester.gov.uk or via post to:

Licensing Department
Winchester City Council
Colebrook Street
Winchester
SO23 9LJ