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Planning a school tombola with clear event rules

A tombola needs reliable ticket matching and an appropriate legal format as well as donated prizes. This guide helps organisers prepare stock, explain participation and reconcile the result. It outlines key distinctions in official Great Britain guidance while keeping Northern Ireland arrangements separate and avoiding unsupported assumptions about limits or exemptions.

Schools Direct editorialUpdated 2 min read

Confirm the event arrangement

In Great Britain, the Gambling Commission includes tombolas within its guidance on incidental lotteries at events. The lottery must be incidental to the event and support a charitable or other good cause rather than private gain. Check the complete current conditions, including permitted expenses and prizes, before setting the budget. Northern Ireland has separate rules.

Keep ticket sales within the chosen format

For the incidental event-lottery arrangement described by the Commission, tickets are physical and sold at the event location while it is taking place, not in advance or online. Explain the winning-ticket system clearly. Do not assume this guidance covers a differently organised fundraiser simply because it is called a tombola.

Prepare and test the matching system

Number prizes and tickets consistently, then have another volunteer check the matches. Inspect donations for age suitability, condition and clear labelling. Display any material restrictions on a prize before participation. Keep loose tickets in a suitable container and arrange the table so visitors can see the rules without reaching across prize stock.

Record the event carefully

Use a simple opening inventory, distribution record and closing count. Follow the organiser’s procedures for payments, expenses and reconciliation. Volunteers should know how to resolve an unreadable ticket or missing prize without improvising a different rule. Offer an accessible way to select a ticket and avoid encouraging repeated spending. After the event, record mismatches, unclaimed items and improvements needed. A rehearsal with a few sample tickets is a practical way to catch avoidable errors before visitors arrive.

Action checklist

  • Check the complete current event-lottery rules
  • Use the permitted ticket-sale arrangement
  • Independently verify ticket and prize matches
  • Reconcile stock and payments after closing

Common questions

Can incidental-lottery tickets be sold through social media beforehand?

The cited Great Britain incidental event-lottery guidance says tickets cannot be sold online or before the event; a different arrangement needs separate assessment.

Sources and scope

Source titles are provided for reference. Check the current original guidance and your school's circumstances before making a policy or compliance decision.

  • Schools Direct editorial — Original teaching activity and resource planning notes. Checked 1 November 2026.
  • Gambling Commission — How to run a fundraiser with lotteries or raffles at events. Checked 1 November 2026.
  • Gambling Commission — Guidance to licensing authorities: Incidental lotteries. Checked 1 November 2026.
  • Gambling Commission — Our role and remit in Northern Ireland. Checked 1 November 2026.

See how we prepare and maintain our guidance.

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