Members of the representative body for society lotteries, the Lotteries Council, have agreed to aim to raise an extra £15m for good causes this year.
The ambitious target, representing nearly a 10 per cent increase on last year’s figure, was agreed at the Lotteries Council AGM, which took place this week in Leicestershire.
Society lotteries raised £155m for good causes in 2012/13, up from £101m in 2009/10.
Clive Mollett, chair of the Lotteries Council, said: “I'm delighted that our members' have endorsed a collective ambition for society lotteries to generate an additional £15m for good causes in 2014.
“This is 10 per cent more than the previous year and highlights the sector's aspirations of generating ever increasing income for good causes.
“For me, this sends a strong signal to the UK government that society lotteries are eager and waiting for a consultation into our sector and are proactively working to boost support to good causes. We hope the government will support us by removing restrictions on our collective ability to fundraise.”
Government announced in 2012 that it would soon be opening a consultation into society lottery regulation, but as yet no such consultation has been launched.
The Lotteries Council chair said the AGM had the highest attendance of delegates in a decade and showed the strength of the sector. The AGM was attended by 190 delegates from local and national charities, and external lottery managers.
A recent report, What Have We Got to Lose, commissioned by the Lotteries Council and the Institute of Fundraising, called on the government to relax restrictions on society lotteries, including those that limit prize size and turnover.
Under existing rules, the maximum value of tickets that can be sold for one draw is £4m and £10m in a calendar year. Small society lotteries can offer a maximum prize in a single draw of £25,000 and for larger lotteries the limit is 10 per cent of the proceeds.
The report was carried out in response to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s forthcoming consultation on society lotteries. It is currently on hold but is due to consider the minimum amount society lotteries give to good causes.
