Prize Draw VAT in the UK: What HMRC’s 2026 Position Means for Competition Operators
UK competition operators must charge 20% VAT on paid skill-based entries from 17 February 2026, after HMRC's Treasury minister confirmed entries are…
Compliance & Legal
How UK prize competitions stay outside the Gambling Act 2005. The Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators (in effect since May 2026, and Nera Marketing is a signatory), Section 14 skill questions, Section 339 free entry routes, ASA and CAP Code rules, Meta RMG approval, terms and conditions, VAT registration with HMRC, and the legal opinion letter process. The articles in this section cover the compliance architecture every operator needs in place before launch.
What Is a Legal Opinion Letter for a UK Prize Competition?
A legal opinion letter is a written assessment from a gambling-law professional confirming your UK prize competition is lawful and needs no…
How to Get RMG Approval on Facebook and Instagram: Step-by-Step Guide for UK Competition Operators
To run paid Facebook or Instagram ads for a UK competition or prize draw website, you need Meta's RMG approval first. The…
How to Comply with the Voluntary Code of Good Practice: A Clause-by-Clause Implementation Guide for Prize Draw Operators
This is a practitioner's guide written by a signatory to the Code. It assumes you have already read our overview of the…
How to Run a Raffle Legally in the UK
Running a raffle legally in the UK as an online competition business requires understanding one critical distinction first: most commercial prize draw…
How Do Prize Draws Work in the UK?
A prize draw in the UK is a promotional competition where winners are selected by chance rather than skill. Under the Gambling…
Skill-Based Competitions vs Prize Draws in the UK
UK online competitions are lawful under one of three categories: a free draw (no payment), a prize competition (paid, won by genuine…
Competition Website Terms and Conditions: What Must Be Included in the UK
UK competition websites, raffle sites, and prize draw websites are legally required to publish clearly structured terms and conditions covering promoter identity,…
The Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators
The Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators is a set of standards published by the Department for Culture, Media…
