PTA Raffle License?

[refinnejk]

I'm organising the raffle for Christmas Fair. I have got lots of good prizes worth around £20 each. I'd like to sell tickets before the fair, but in theory need a 'small society lottery' license which is £40. Do other schools bother with this, and what is the penalty for not getting a license? Thank you :)

PS to clarify, if all tickets are sold at the event, I don't need a license. It I want to sell tickets before the event I should get a license.

That was the conclusion I came to when looking at a similar thing. In the end, we didn't go ahead as didn't think we would sell enough tickets on the day to make it worth it, and didn't want the hassle of getting the licence. I don't think school would've let me sell tickets without one!

Our school has a license, but we do raise a fair bit of money through raffles (donated prizes) so it is worth it. I wouldn't avoid one if you need it, it wouldn't reflect well on anyone.

Yes, our PTA has one. Two raffles a year which raise lots of money.

It is £40 for the first year, but only £20 per year thereafter.
You have to do a return to the council after every raffle.

Thank you for your replies. I think we'll get a license if we sell before the fair. Does anyone have any information/advice about how much to sell tickets for, and how much might be raised? I think we raised less than £70 on the day last year (just the raffle, the Xmas fair raised approx. £800 in total). I'd like to raise significantly more this year, but might not be worth selling in advance if £40 license fee! There are about 200 pupils. Also, where to get tickets printed - there seem to be several companies online, but would appreciate a recommendation. Thanks again.

If you do the in-advance route how will you do it - send home books of tickets for each family to sell? Do you have a system for making sure that value of return-stubs equals the value of receipts. Who is receiving the money - Reception staff? - are they OK with the responsibility. I think you need more 'big ticket' prizes to make this worthwhile.

If you do tickets on the day then you don't need expensive printed tickets. Cloakroom tickets will do.

Could you do an auction instead of a raffle?

I looked at this the other day for our pta. You can get books of printed raffle tickets for £50 for 3000 if you order online. At 20p a ticket that's £600 if you sold them all. I'm thinking of punting it at our next pta meeting

We do the sold beforehand ones with a licence for the summer fair (numerous prizes, some fairly high value), they are also sale during the fair and traditional sell on the day at Christmas for class donated hampers. The sell beforehand ones do go to each family and all money comes back via the office and their checking system, PTA committee members are not allowed to accept it directly from friends in the playground etc.

20p a ticket

At least a pound each. Otherwise it's not worth the aggro.

What's your top prize? That will drive the price of the tickets.

If you send tickets home in bookbags, etc, expect three quarters of them to end up in the bin.
Also, please be aware that it is illegal for children to buy or sell raffle tickets, tombola tickets, etc.

BTDT

Please don't send them home in book bags, it's annoying as fu2k!

Yes, you need a licence.
Its unlawful gambling not to.
Its a nominal fee and covers a whole year
when I was PTA treasurer I had it set to the first day of the financial year, like clockwork, never forgotten
no risk

tickets not less than 50p
probably £1 nowadays
remember that under the law you have to be able to account for every ticket : a PITA but they are such a good earner its worth it

We do tickets of £1 each in books of 5

Everyone gets one book of 5 in book bag.

Competition for the kids - most sold = art set or similar.

Prizes - hamper from committee (heavily booze!), hamper from school plus donations ... Approach local pubs for vouchers, beauticians, health clubs, photographers. All stalls at Xmas Fair require a raffle prize. Local farm donates a Xmas tree for example.

We make about £750 at Christmas and £1.5k in the summer (small village school, 110 pupils / 60 odd families)