Posted on 12th Jan
Newark and Sherwood District Council will be among the first few local authorities in the country to launch its own online community lottery to benefit good causes.
Tickets will cost £1 with 60p going towards local good causes, compared to just 28p through the National Lottery.
The draw will be weekly with a jackpot of £25,000 for a matching sequence of six numbers, other prizes including £2,000, £250, £25 or three free tickets.
There are two parts to the Newark and Sherwood Community Lottery scheme. Local good causes will be able to set up their own lottery page, and will receive 50p in every pound spent by players using this method. A further 10p in every pound will go into a general Newark and Sherwood Community Lottery good causes fund.
Players who do not wish to support a specific cause can still take part in the community lottery, with 60p of their ticket price going into the general Newark and Sherwood Community Lottery good causes fund, which will be distributed by the council.
Coun Tim Wendels, chairman of Newark and Sherwood District Council’s homes and communities committee, said: “Recent months, more than ever, have proven the vital role that charities, voluntary and community groups play in supporting people, communities and shaping places. We hope that this lottery is a means of enabling charities to raise funds and to develop a means of ensuring financial support for a sector that is closest to our communities and their needs.”
“Importantly, we are also ensuring that all proper processes are in place that this lottery mitigates as many risks of problem gambling as is possible and, hopefully, gives people an option that is therefore both secure for them whilst also being dedicated to raising money for good causes”.
If you would like to learn more about the Community Lottery or register as a good cause, a virtual launch event is scheduled to take place on 20th January, 6:30pm-7:30pm. To find out more or book your place, click https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/newark-and-sherwood-community-lottery-launch-event-tickets-133086700905
From each £1 ticket purchased through the lottery, 60p goes to local good causes. Another 20% goes to the prize fund, and the rest is for running costs and VAT.
Players have a 50 to one chance of winning one of the prizes, which range from the £25,000 jackpot to three extra tickets.
A lottery management company, Gatherwell, has been appointed to run the scheme, having already launched similar lotteries elsewhere.
The lottery has been registered for a licence through the Gambling Commission and is also registered with the Lotteries Council which will provide advocacy and guidance on operating the lottery to support compliance and best practice.
Regular updates on the progress of the Newark and Sherwood Community Lottery will be posted on the Newark and Sherwood District Council website and Facebook pages.
