UNISON Lottery operated by the charity ‘There for You’: Responsible Gambling Policy
1. Introduction
There for You operates a lottery with the sole purpose of raising funds for the charity. [There for you is the working name of UNISON Welfare registered charity no. 1023552/SCO308305]
It’s important to us that our monthly lottery provides a fun way for people to support the charity’s work, but that it never has a detrimental effect. We are therefore committed to ensuring that the lottery is operated in a secure, fair and socially responsible way.
The Gambling Commission regulates gambling in the public interest. The regulatory framework introduced by the Gambling Act 2005, is based on the following licensing objectives:
- Preventing gambling from being a source of crime and disorder, being associated with crime and disorder, or being used to support crime.
- Ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way.
- Protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.
- Ensuring the promotion of social responsibility in gambling.
This document sets out the approach that There for You adopts to ensure we approach gambling activities in a socially responsible way.
2. Preventing gambling from being a source of crime and disorder
When an individual joins the lottery we will check that:
- The individual is aged 16 or over
- The individual is resident in the UK
- We will retain the right to cancel any membership should we suspect criminal activity
- Limit the maximum number of entries to 10 per individual player per month
3. Ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way
We will ensure that:
- Players have access to clear information on matters such as the rules of the lottery, the prizes that are available and the chances of winning
- The rules are fair
- Any advertising and promotional material is clear and not misleading
- The results are made public
4. Protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling
There for You will not permit vulnerable people or any person under the age of 16 to participate in the lottery. The charity has implemented the following procedures to ensure that its lottery does not attract children under the age of 16.
- Each lottery membership form has a compulsory date of birth section which must be completed before the application can be accepted.
- If a person enters the lottery stating that they are over the age of 16 and subsequently it is found that they are less than 16 years of age, they will have any money paid in relation to the Lottery returned to them and where relevant will automatically forfeit the right to any prize.
- To ensure that our lottery does not appeal to children or young people, or other vulnerable adults including the elderly, mentally disabled and those under the influence of drugs or alcohol, careful attention is paid to the design and content of all marketing material.
5. Promotion of social responsibility in gambling
There for You takes the following steps to ensure the promotion of social responsibility in gambling:
Self exclusion:
- On request, we will close any player’s lottery membership(s) for a minimum period of six months during which time the membership of the lottery cannot be reinstated. During this period we will also try to ensure that the individual does not attempt to open a new membership.
There for You:
- Has imposed limits on the number of entries (10 per month) into the lottery that can be purchased by an individual.
Access to player history:
- We will provide any player with a full history of their lottery membership, including complete payment and winnings history upon request.
Provide information on gambling support organisations:
- We will provide contact details and links on our website or via other appropriate media to GamCare and other relevant/appropriate organisations.
Self-help and awareness information:
- We will provide self-help and awareness information on our website or other appropriate media together with links to or contact details of GamCare and other relevant/appropriate organisations.
Contribution to research and public education:
- Through our membership to the Lotteries Council, we regularly contribute Gamble Aware to fund research and public education on the risks of gambling and how to gamble safely.
6. Problem gambling
Whilst the majority of people do gamble within their means, for some gambling can become a problem. It may help you to keep gambling in control to remember the following:
- Gambling should be entertaining and not seen as a way of making money
- Avoid chasing losses
- Only gamble what you can afford to lose
- Keep track of the time and amount you spend gambling
Or, if you are concerned about the amount you are gambling and feel it is taking over your (or someone else’s) life then the following questions may help you assess whether gambling is becoming a problem:
- Do you stay away from work, college or school to gamble?
- Do you gamble to escape from a boring or unhappy life?
- When gambling and you run out of money, do you feel lost and in despair and need to gamble again as soon as possible?
- Do you gamble until your last penny is gone, even leaving nothing for the fare home or the cost of a cup of tea?
- Have you ever lied to cover up the amount of money or time you have spent gambling?
- Have others ever criticised your gambling?
- Have you lost interest in your family, friends or hobbies?
- After losing, do you feel you must try and win back your losses as soon as possible?
- Do arguments, frustrations or disappointments make you want to gamble?
- Do you feel depressed or even suicidal because of your gambling?
The more you answer ‘yes’ to these questions, the more likely you are to have a serious gambling problem.
Contact Be Gamble Aware – a registered charity that provides confidential telephone support and counselling to anyone who is affected by problem gambling.
You can find more information and help about problem gambling by visiting the Gamble Aware website or calling 0808 8020 133 (8am to midnight, seven days a week).
7. Useful links
Last reviewed and updated: May 2019