Section 11: Betting: prize competitions

Gambling Act 2005 · 2005 c. 19View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 1: Interpretation of Key Concepts

For the purposes of section 9(1) a person makes a bet (despite the fact that he does not deposit a stake in the normal way of betting) if—

he participates in an arrangement in the course of which participants are required to guess any of the matters specified in section 9(1)(a) to (c),
he is required to pay to participate, and
if his guess is accurate, or more accurate than other guesses, he is to—
win a prize, or
enter a class among whom one or more prizes are to be allocated (whether or not wholly by chance).

In subsection (1) a reference to guessing includes a reference to predicting using skill or judgment.

Schedule 1 makes further provision about when a person is to be or not to be treated for the purposes of subsection (1)(b) as being required to pay to participate in an arrangement.

In subsection (1)(c) "prize" includes any money, articles or services—

whether or not described as a prize, and
whether or not consisting wholly or partly of money paid, or articles or services provided, by the members of the class among whom the prizes are allocated.

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Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.