Wales Lottery Good Causes

The Wales Lottery is a not-for-profit society lottery, which was set up with the intention of raising £5 million for worthy projects across Wales in the first five years of its existence.

What are Society Lotteries?

Society lotteries are regulated by the UK Gambling Commission and are designed to run on a not-for-profit basis, raising money for the non-commercial sector, specifically for good causes. These causes can be charities, sport-related, cultural or anything else that does not lead to private gain.

Under society lottery rules, Loteri Cymru’s jackpot cannot exceed £25,000.

How Does the Wales Lottery Fund Good Causes?

At least 20 percent of the money received in ticket sales is set aside to be distributed to schemes in Wales. The cash the lottery could provide was seen as vital when it was first launched. Marc Phillips, the interim chief executive of the lottery’s charitable wing, Hanford Cymru, said at the time that projects in Wales were ‘traditionally under-supported’ by nationwide bodies charged with providing grant funding.

Loteri Cymru gave out more than £120,000 to good causes in less than a year, before it briefly had to cease operating as it was no longer financially viable. Sterling Management Centre Limited stepped in to begin administering the lottery, and announced that it would be teaming up with the Charities Trust to ensure that the same proportion of the proceeds would continue to go to worthy projects.

Sterling Lotteries are in discussions with various groups and plan to change the beneficiaries over time so that as many different charities as possible benefit. The operators are also exploring ways to give lottery players the chance to nominate which groups receive funding.

To find out how you can take part and add to the lottery's charity pot, visit the How to Play page.