UK Charity Lottery Licences See Decline
New UKGC data reveals a downward trend in the number of charities licensed to operate large society lotteries over the past decade.
Data from the UK Gambling Commission shows a notable decrease in the number of charities holding licences for large society lotteries since a peak in 2017. This trend suggests a changing landscape for charitable fundraising through lotteries in the UK.
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A Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosure from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) reveals a steady decline in the number of charities holding licences to run large society lotteries.
Data released following a request on 28 March 2025 shows that the number of licensed charitable operators fell from a peak of 118 in 2017 to 98 in 2025, a decrease of nearly 17%.
Why This Data Matters
Large society lotteries are a significant fundraising tool for charities and other non-commercial organisations across the UK. They are defined as lotteries promoted for the benefit of a non-commercial society, with proceeds (a minimum of 20%) going to the purposes of that society. For consumers, these lotteries offer a way to support causes they care about while participating in a prize draw.
A decline in the number of licensed charities could indicate a shift in fundraising strategies, a more challenging regulatory environment, or market consolidation. It directly impacts the diversity of options available to consumers wishing to contribute to charitable causes through this form of gambling.
The Data in Detail
The UKGC provided figures for the number of operators with charitable status (registered with the Charity Commission or the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator) at the end of each financial year. The trend shows a consistent decrease since the 2017 peak:
- 31 March 2016: 116
- 31 March 2017: 118 (Peak)
- 31 March 2018: 109
- 31 March 2019: 107
- 31 March 2020: 103
- 31 March 2021: 100
- 31 March 2022: 103
- 31 March 2023: 103
- 31 March 2024: 102
- 31 March 2025: 98
It is important to note a caveat provided by the Gambling Commission in its response. The regulator stated that this information "is not regularly reviewed or updated." This means an organisation's charitable status may have changed without the UKGC's records being immediately updated, so the figures should be seen as a strong indicator rather than a definitive real-time count.
Industry Significance
The downward trend in licensed charity lottery operators suggests a potential contraction in this part of the fundraising sector. While the data does not explain the reasons for the decline, it highlights a significant change in the landscape over the last decade. For consumers, this may result in fewer distinct charity lotteries to choose from. For the charitable sector, it points to a potential shift away from a traditional fundraising method that is subject to specific gambling regulations.