The Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985

Private Lotteries N.I.

134.—(1) A private lottery is not unlawful, but the following conditions shall be observed in connection with its promotion and conduct—

(a) the whole proceeds, after deducting only expenses incurred for printing and stationery, shall be devoted to the provision of prizes for purchasers of tickets or chances, or, in the case of a lottery promoted for the members of the society, shall be devoted—

(i) to the provision of such prizes; or

(ii) to purposes which are purposes of the society; or

(iii) as to part to the provision of such prizes and as to the remainder to such purposes;

(b) the total value of tickets or chances to be sold shall not exceed £1,000;

(c) there shall not be exhibited, published or distributed any written notice or advertisement of the lottery other than—

(i) a notice of it exhibited on the premises of the society for whose members it is promoted or, as the case may be, on the premises on which the persons for whom it is promoted work or reside; and

(ii) such announcement or advertisement of it as is contained in the tickets, if any;

(d) the price of every ticket or chance shall be the same, and the price of any ticket shall be stated on the ticket;

(e) every ticket shall bear upon the face of it the name and address of each of the promoters and a statement of the persons to whom the sale of tickets or chances by the promoters is restricted, and a statement that no prize won in the lottery shall be paid or delivered by the promoters to any person other than the person to whom the winning ticket or chance was sold by them, and no prize shall be paid or delivered except in accordance with that statement;

(f) no ticket or chance shall be issued or allotted by the promoters except by way of sale and upon receipt of its full price, and no money or valuable thing so received by a promoter shall in any circumstances be returned;

(g) the price shown on every ticket shall be the whole price paid for it;

(h) the total proceeds from the sale of tickets or chances shall constitute the whole proceeds of the lottery;

(i) subject to the conditions governing the lottery, participation in the lottery shall depend solely on the purchase of a ticket or chance in it;

(j) purchase of a ticket or chance in a lottery promoted by a society shall not confer membership of the society;

(k) no tickets in the lottery shall be sent through the post; and

(l) the amount of the proceeds appropriated on account of expenses (exclusive of prizes) shall not exceed whichever is the less of—

(i) the expenses actually incurred; or

(ii) 10 per cent. of those proceeds.

(2) If any of the conditions set out in paragraph (1) is contravened, each of the promoters of the lottery, and where the person by whom the condition is broken is not one of the promoters, that person also, shall be guilty of an offence.

(3) It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under paragraph (2) only by reason of his being a promoter of the lottery to prove that the contravention occurred without his consent or connivance and that he exercised all due diligence to prevent it.

(4) For the purposes of this Article, each local or affiliated branch or section of a society shall be regarded as a separate and distinct society.

(5) The Department may, by order subject to affirmative resolution, substitute for any amount specified in paragraph (1) such other amount as may be specified in the order.