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<p>The annual sales limit for society lotteries was increased from £10 million to
£50 million in July 2020.</p><p>We published a review of the impact of these and other
changes to society lottery sales and prize limits in March 2022 (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-society-lottery-sales-and-prize-limits/one-year-review-of-society-lotteries-sales-and-prize-limits"
target="_blank">link</a>). Early indicators are positive, for example the increase
in the annual sales limit has allowed some multiple licensed operators who previously
had annual sales in excess of £10 million, to take advantage of the new limit to restructure
and become single licence holders, and use the cost savings in doing so to increase
good cause returns. The review concluded that it is too soon to reach any firm view
on the impact of the changes, especially during a time that the effect of the Covid
pandemic made any evaluation more difficult, given changes in consumer behaviour over
this period which may have had a distorting effect. We want to see more data on annual
growth of the sector to fully measure their impact. Since the review, the Gambling
Commission has published further data which shows that the large society lottery sector
is continuing to grow.</p><p>The Gambling Commission does not collect data on the
location of beneficiaries of grant funding. Society lotteries are a helpful way of
permitting non-commercial societies to fundraise for good causes. Funds raised by
society lotteries are distributed within the stated purposes of that society, and
it is for each operator to determine where the money raised is distributed. Larger
lotteries may support local, national or international charities, but many others
exist solely to support their own work, such as hospice lotteries.</p><p>Legislation
regarding society lotteries in Northern Ireland is determined by the Northern Ireland
Assembly.</p><p> </p>
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