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The Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985
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The Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, Section 137 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 29 January 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
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Changes and effects yet to be applied to Article 137:
- Act applied by 1997 c. 16 s.15(3)
- Instrument applied by 1997 c. 16 s.15(3)
- art. 172A and cross-heading inserted by 2022 c. 14 (N.I.) s. 15(1)
- art. 186(3A) inserted by 2022 c. 14 (N.I.) s. 15(2)(a)
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Order associated Parts and Chapters:
- Act applied by 1997 c. 16 s.15(3)
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Order (including any effects on those provisions):
- art. 172A and cross-heading inserted by 2022 c. 14 (N.I.) s. 15(1)
- art. 186(3A) inserted by 2022 c. 14 (N.I.) s. 15(2)(a)
Rules for societies' lotteriesN.I.
137.—(1) In this Article “lottery” means a society's lottery.
(2) The promoter of the lottery shall be a member of the society authorised in writing by the governing body of the society to act as the promoter.
(3) Every ticket[F1 distributed or sold] shall specify the name of the society, the name and address of the promoter and the date of the lottery.
[F1(4) The Department may, by order subject to affirmative resolution, specify—
(a)the maximum number of lotteries that may be promoted on behalf of the same society in any year; and
(b)the minimum number of days that must elapse between the dates of any two lotteries promoted on behalf of the same society.]
(5) No ticket or chance in a lottery shall be sold at a price exceeding [F2£100].
(6) The price of every ticket or chance shall be the same, and the price of any ticket[F1 distributed or sold] shall be stated on the ticket.
(7) No person shall be admitted to participate in a lottery in respect of a ticket or chance except after payment to the society of the whole price of the ticket or chance; and no money received for or on account of a ticket or chance shall in any circumstances be returned.
(8) The price shown on every ticket shall be the whole price paid for it.
(9) The total proceeds from the sale of tickets or chances shall constitute the whole proceeds of the lottery.
(10) Subject to the conditions governing the lottery, participation in the lottery shall depend solely on the purchase of a ticket or chance in it.
(11) No prize in a lottery shall exceed[F1 in amount or value £25,000 or 10 per cent. of the proceeds of the lottery (whichever is greater)].
(12) The total value of the tickets or chances sold in a lottery shall not exceed £80,000 for any single lottery or £1,000,000 for all the lotteries promoted by any society in any year.
(13) The amount of the proceeds of a lottery appropriated for the provision of prizes shall notF1. . . exceed 50 per cent. of the proceeds of the lottery.
(14) The amount of the proceeds of a lottery appropriated on account of expenses (exclusive of prizes) shall not exceed whichever is the less of—
(a)the expenses actually incurred; or
[F3(b)20 per cent. of the whole proceeds of the lottery.]
F4(15) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[F1(15A) For the purposes of paragraph (14), the amount of any expenses that are met—
(a)by the society on whose behalf the lottery is promoted, or
(b)by any beneficiary of the lottery,
shall be treated as having been appropriated on account of expenses from the proceeds of the lottery.
(15B) In paragraph (15A) “beneficiary of the lottery” means a person (other than the society on whose behalf the lottery is promoted) to whom or for whose benefit any of the proceeds of the lottery, other than amounts appropriated in respect of expenses or prizes, are lawfully paid or applied.
(15C) The amount of the proceeds of a lottery appropriated for the provision of prizes and the amount of those proceeds appropriated on account of expenses (exclusive of prizes) shall not exceed in aggregate such percentage of the whole proceeds of the lottery as the Department may specify, by order subject to affirmative resolution.]
(16) A society shall not employ any person as an external lottery consultant or manager unless that person holds a lottery certificate.
(17) The promoter of a lottery shall, not later than the end of the third month after the date of the lottery, send a return in such form and containing such information as regulations may prescribe to such persons as may be so prescribed.
(18) Every registered society shall keep copies of any return sent under paragraph (17) together with copies of supporting bills, receipts and accounts for a period of at least 18 months and during that period shall supply, on request, a copy of that return and these other documents to the district council or any member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
(19) Any officer of a district council authorised in writing in that behalf may, on production, if required, of his credentials, at any reasonable time, enter any office of a registered society and—
(a)inspect the records of the society; and
(b)inspect the promotion of any lottery.
(20) Every person who obstructs an officer of a district council in the exercise of the powers conferred by paragraph (19) shall be guilty of an offence.
(21) The Department may, by order subject to affirmative resolution substitute for any amount or percentage specified in this Article such other amount or percentage as may be specified in the order.
F2Sum in art. 137(5) substituted (27.4.2022) by Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (c. 14), ss. 10(a), 17(2)
F3Art. 137(14)(b) substituted (27.4.2022) by Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (c. 14), ss. 10(b), 17(2)
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