Over 20 major prize draw operators in the United Kingdom, including rising stars like Omaze, Best of the Best, and Raffle House, have committed to a voluntary code of conduct led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), designed to enhance transparency and safeguard participants.
DCMS Issues New Code of Conduct for Operators
The code establishes new rules, including a GBP 250 (about $327) monthly limit on credit card entries for prize draws and a total ban on credit card use for all instant-win competitions. The DCMS stated that the guidelines were developed following “extensive consultation” with the sector, and that signatories would have six months to implement the provisions.
Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross noted that millions of people enter prize draw competitions every year and should be confident that reasonable protections are in place. Twycross added that the introduction of the code would ensure such protections and expressed appreciation to all operators who had already signed up, both for their cooperation in developing the code and their commitment to adhering to it going forward.
Meanwhile, James Oakes, president of Omaze, one of the UK’s most popular prize draw operators, stated that Omaze is proud to be a founding signatory of the new Code of Conduct. As the UK’s largest prize draw operator, the company has consistently implemented industry-leading customer safeguards while raising over GBP 100 million (around $130 million) for charities across the country. He added that with the growing number of companies offering prize draws, Omaze welcomes DCMS’s introduction of the Code and looks forward to all operators adhering to the same high standards.
What Does the Code Require Operators to Do?
According to an official post by the DCMS, prize draws have surged in popularity in recent years, with 7.4 million adults participating annually across the UK, and the market is now valued at GBP 1.3 billion ($1.7 billion). However, because these draws also offer a free entry option, they currently do not require a licence under the Gambling Act 2005. In response to this growth, the Code sets out a clear framework of industry standards, providing a consistent approach across the sector to enhance player protections, boost transparency, and strengthen the accountability of prize draw operators.
Beyond the restrictions on credit card use for prize draw entries, operators are required to implement “suitable and proportionate maximum monthly total spend limits for all players,” or provide an option for players to set their own limits. Additionally, operators must allow players to temporarily suspend their accounts or close them permanently, mirroring the self-exclusion measures offered by licensed gambling operators.
To promote accountability, operators are expected to make public the measures they have implemented regarding player protection, transparency, and accountability. They must also ensure that any related third parties adhere to the same requirements and are encouraged to collaborate with other operators across the sector to share best practices.