In this blog we explore the options available to UK charity fundraisers looking at charity lottery as a viable unrestricted regular giving income stream.
Key Takeaways
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Raffles and lotteries are both forms of prize-led fundraising, but they often play different roles in an individual giving programme.
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A monthly charity lottery can help charities create a bigger fundraising moment, with more time to build excitement around each draw.
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Weekly charity lotteries remain a strong option for charities that want frequent winning moments and a familiar supporter experience.
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Charities starting out may benefit from a pooled weekly lottery before moving to a more flexible monthly or bespoke model.
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The right charity lottery model depends on your audience, compliance capacity, supporter journey and long-term fundraising goals.
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Speak to an External Lottery Manager, like Woods Valldata, who can help you find the right model for you.
Is a monthly lottery right for your charity?
Prize-led fundraising continues to earn its place in the individual giving mix because it offers something simple and compelling: supporters can help a cause they care about while enjoying the chance to win. For charities looking to grow sustainable income, reach new audiences or add variety to their supporter journeys, lottery can be a valuable route to additional unrestricted funds.
But is a monthly charity lottery the right model for your charity? The answer depends on where you are in your prize-led fundraising journey, how established your player base is, and what kind of supporter experience you want to create. For some charities, a monthly draw can support a more distinctive prize proposition; for others, weekly frequency or a pooled model may be the better starting point.
Why lottery remains a valuable fundraising option
In a challenging giving environment, charities need products that are affordable, engaging and easy to understand. The CAF UK Giving 2026 report found that the British public donated £14 billion in 2025, but also highlighted pressure on household budgets, with one in five people saying they could not afford to give to charity. Against this backdrop, regular giving products that feel accessible and rewarding can help charities maintain supporter participation and resilience.
Lottery can work for charities of many sizes because it combines regular income with a clear value exchange. Supporters make a small, repeat gift; the charity receives predictable funds; and the draw itself provides a regular reason to communicate impact, thank players and build a sense of momentum.
Raffles, lotteries and what the rules mean in practice
The Gambling Commission explains that lotteries and raffles can be used to raise money for charity, but they are forms of gambling and must be run under the rules for the type of lottery involved. Society lotteries are promoted for a non-commercial society, including charitable purposes. Large society lotteries require a Gambling Commission licence, while small society lotteries must be registered with the relevant local authority if they stay below the stated proceeds thresholds.
The Fundraising Regulator also notes that “lottery” is a broad term covering raffles, tombolas and sweepstakes. For fundraisers, the practical distinction is often between raffles as one-off or campaign-led giving moments, with draws taking place at different points in the year, and lotteries as a committed giving product, usually operating on a regular basis and often entered by Direct Debit subscription.
This matters because the product you choose will shape everything from licensing and administration to supporter communications, payment journeys and long-term stewardship.
Weekly lottery is familiar — but it is not the only option
Traditionally, charity lotteries have been weekly. That familiarity is one of their strengths. A weekly draw gives players more frequent chances to win over a four- or five-week period, keeps the product visible, and creates a dependable rhythm for communications. It can also be easier for supporters to understand because the price point is often framed as a small weekly amount.
Woods Valldata’s own guidance on weekly lottery acquisition and retention highlights many benefits to weekly lottery including:
- unrestricted regular giving income;
- opportunities to share positive impact stories;
- and the potential to diversify the supporter demographic beyond traditional donor audiences.
“Prize-led consists of games of chance for good. It’s an opportunity to win a prize, essentially, while supporting the charity.” — Helen Daw, Head of Data Strategy, Woods Valldata
Where a monthly charity lottery can add something different
A monthly charity lottery can be a useful alternative when a charity wants to create a different kind of prize-led experience. Fewer draws may allow a higher cost per chance, which, in turn, could support a larger top cash prize or a bigger total prize fund or a physical prize relevant to that charity. For some audiences, the idea of building towards one more substantial monthly moment may feel more exciting than a smaller weekly draw.
There is also a communications advantage. A monthly rhythm gives fundraising teams time to build anticipation, tell richer stories about the cause, remind supporters of the closing date and celebrate winners in a more considered way. That build-up can help the lottery feel like part of an ongoing supporter relationship, rather than a purely transactional product.
“Traditionally, we’ve always had weekly draws, usually on a Friday, but actually there are variances coming through… some have moved towards more of a monthly draw model as well.” — Helen Daw, Woods Valldata
Start with where your programme is today
Before choosing between weekly, monthly or another model, it is worth asking how established your prize-led fundraising programme really is. If you are just starting out, testing the water or trying to prove the case internally, a pooled weekly lottery can be a lower-risk way to begin. A model such as Affinity Lottery can take away much of the operational complexity, allowing your charity to build a player base gradually while learning what resonates with your supporters - essentially making weekly lottery viable to charities of any size and budget.
That matters because lottery fundraising is not just about the draw. It involves compliance, payment processing, data handling, winner communications, stewardship, reporting and long-term player retention. For smaller teams, outsourcing some of that complexity can make the difference between an idea that stays on the shelf and a product that can be launched with confidence.
Once a charity has a stronger player base and a clearer view of what supporters respond to, it may be ready to explore more flexible models. This is where a platform such as Woods Valldata’s Advantage Lottery can open up more options, including different payment approaches, draw dates and draw frequencies.
Innovation should still feel supporter-led
For charities with an established prize-led programme, innovation is less about changing for change’s sake and more about creating a product that better fits supporter motivation. Some audiences may value more frequent chances to win. Others may respond to a larger monthly prize, a stronger cause message, a seasonal superdraw (often run alongside a raffle programme) or a more personalised digital journey.
The Chartered Institute of Fundraising describes prize-led fundraising as a long-standing part of many charity portfolios, and sector commentary continues to point towards the importance of digital journeys, retention, player experience and flexible product design. The opportunity is to use those principles in a way that feels authentic to your charity, not generic.
“The right lottery model is the one that reflects your charity’s size, appetite for risk, operational capacity, supporter profile and long-term individual giving strategy.” Woods Valldata 2026 prize-led fundraising webinar
Monthly charity lottery: is monthly right for your charity?
A monthly charity lottery may be right if you already have the foundations in place: a clear audience, strong supporter communications, confidence in compliance and administration, robust acquisition and retention budget, and the appetite to test a different prize structure. It can help you create anticipation, offer a more distinctive prize proposition and give your fundraising team more space to tell the story behind each draw.
A weekly lottery may be better if your priority is frequency, familiarity and a regular cadence of winning moments with more opportunities to celebrate those moments. And if you are new to prize-led fundraising, a pooled weekly option may give you a simpler, safer starting point before moving towards a more bespoke model.
The most important point is that there is no single right answer. The right lottery model is the one that reflects your charity’s size, appetite for risk, operational capacity, supporter profile and long-term individual giving strategy.
Speak to an expert
Wherever you are in your journey, speaking to a prize-led fundraising expert can help you decide you next best step.
Woods Valldata were one of the first External Lottery Managers in the sector, are one of the most established lottery service providers, and have a wealth of knowledge and experience in all things lottery. Why not reach out to one of our friendly team to find out which one of the many options available is right for your charity – of find out more about what we have to offer on our website.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a monthly charity lottery?
A monthly charity lottery is a regular prize-led fundraising product where supporters pay to enter a draw that takes place monthly. It can provide charities with committed income while giving supporters the chance to win a prize.
Is a monthly lottery better than a weekly lottery?
It depends. A weekly lottery can offer more chances to win and a familiar rhythm for supporters, while a monthly charity lottery can create a bigger moment, allow more time for communications and potentially support a larger prize proposition.
Can small charities run a monthly charity lottery?
Yes, but smaller charities should consider the investment requirement, administration, compliance and supporter acquisition requirements before launching. If a charity is new to prize-led fundraising, a pooled weekly lottery, such as Affinity Lottery from Woods Valldata may be a simpler way to start before moving towards a monthly or more flexible model.
What are the compliance considerations for charity lotteries?
Charity lotteries and raffles are regulated forms of fundraising. Charities should check whether their lottery is a small society lottery, a large society lottery or another type of draw, and follow Gambling Commission and Fundraising Regulator guidance before launch.
How can charities decide whether to launch a monthly charity lottery?
Start by reviewing your supporter/player base, fundraising objectives, available budget, internal capacity and appetite for innovation. A monthly charity lottery is most likely to work well when you have the budget to support the acquisition required to meet the Gambling Commission 80/20 requirement, it supports your wider individual giving strategy and offers a clear, engaging supporter experience.
Whether you choose weekly, monthly or a different approach, prize-led fundraising should do more than raise money. Done well, it can bring supporters closer to your cause, create moments of joy, and provide a sustainable stream of unrestricted income to help your charity plan with greater confidence.
About the Author:
Helen Halahan is Head of Marketing and PR at Woods Valldata, a company specialising in the full spectrum of outsourced fundraising services for the charity sector including weekly lottery and response handling. Helen has supported the not-for-profit sector since 2012, including working alongside charity partners to grow and develop their prize-led fundraising programmes. She is a passionate advocate for developing and delivering excellent supporter experience and the impact that brings.
