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Charities: Lotteries

Asked by Jim ShannonDemocratic Unionist PartyDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled Answered 20 January 2026UIN 104666

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing charities lotteries to operate UK-wide.

Answered by Ian Murray

Large-scale society lotteries in Great Britain are legislated through the Gambling Act 2005, which does not extend to Northern Ireland.

Gambling is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, and therefore the operation of large-scale society lotteries is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

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