§ 37. Mr. Newtonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent consultations he has had with the Chairman of the Gaming Board about the working of the Lotteries Act.
§ 41. Mr. Silvesterasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what opinion he has received from the Gamin Board with regard to the legality of instant bingo lotteries; and what action he intends to take in the light of that advice.
§ Dr. SummerskillThe concern that has arisen in relation to the legality of "instant" lotteries refers to the requirement in the Lotteries Act that the date of the lottery must be the date on which winners are ascertained. The Gaming Board of Great Britain has now taken counsel's opinion. In the light of this the Board has informed my right hon. Friend that, subject to the date printed on an " instant lottery ticket being the last day on which tickets are on sale, and bearing in mind that the date of the lottery must normally be not less than seven days after the date of a previous lottery, it will accept that the statutory requirements relating to the date of a lottery will be met. There is provision for sports clubs in certain circumstances to hold more than one lottery in a period of seven days, subject to the requirement that they should not hold more than 52 in a year.
The text of the Board's advice, which is to be included in its notes for the guidance of societies and local authorities follows:
"What is the date of a lottery?
This is an important question and the promoters of lotteries must take special care to observe the requirements of the Act. The date of a lottery, which must be specified on the tickets and in any notice or advertisement of the lottery, is defined as the date on which the winners in that lottery are ascertained. In lotteries where the winners are ascertained by reference to a draw, the date specified will be the date of that draw. In other lotteries, sometimes referred to as " instant lotteries ", where there is no draw and the winners are ascertained solely by reference to what is printed on the tickets, the Board are firmly of the opinion that the date specified should be the last day on which the tickets are to be on sale. If a society or local authority has in mind to follow other arrangements which it considers 266W are in conformity with the Act, a special approach should be made to the Board.The matter of the date is of special importance where lotteries are run weekly, because of the general requirement in the Act that the date of one lottery must be not less than seven days after the date of a previous lottery.In their examination of lottery accounts the Board will wish to satisfy themselves that each lottery is an entity which conforms to the statutory requirements and limitations. Failure so to conform will raise the question of revoking the registration of the scheme under which the lottery was promoted.