The free entry route explained: how postal entries work on a raffle site
Every UK raffle site that sells tickets needs a free entry route: a way to enter without paying, usually by post. It's what keeps a paid prize draw from counting as a lottery under the Gambling Act 2005. Here's what the law asks for, what the DCMS Code adds, and how to run postal entries properly.
- Players must be able to choose between paying and entering for free.
- The free route must be no more expensive and no less convenient than paying, which is why post is the usual method.
- It must be publicised so every entrant is likely to see it, and promoted at the same level as the paid route.
- Free entries must have exactly the same chance of winning.
Why raffle sites need a free entry route
Under section 14 of the Gambling Act 2005, an arrangement where people pay to enter and the prizes are given out wholly by chance is a lottery, whatever you call it. A business can't run a lottery. Schedule 2 of the Act gives the way out: if people can enter for free on the same terms, the draw isn't treated as requiring payment, so it isn't a lottery.
That's why raffle and competition sites show a "free entry" or "postal entry" option. It isn't a loophole. It's the legal basis that lets a prize draw run as a business. For the full picture, see are online raffles legal in the UK?
The four legal tests
Paragraph 8 of Schedule 2 sets out four conditions. Your free route needs to meet all of them:
- A real choice. Each person can choose whether to enter by paying or by sending a communication, such as a letter or postcard.
- No more expensive, no less convenient. Ordinary first or second class post meets this. Any other free method has to be "neither more expensive nor less convenient than entering the lottery by paying".
- Properly publicised. The choice has to be publicised "in such a way as to be likely to come to the attention of each individual" who wants to take part.
- No difference in the draw. The way prizes are allocated mustn't differentiate between paid and free entries.
What the DCMS Code and the ASA add
The government's Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators says free and paid entries "should have an equal chance of winning each available prize", that the free route must be shown "clearly and prominently" before purchase, and that closing dates should leave enough time for free entries to arrive.
The Advertising Standards Authority's advice is that the free route "should be promoted at the same level as the paid for route". Putting it only in your terms and conditions isn't enough.
How to run postal entries properly
1. Show it on every raffle
Put a clear "free entry" link or panel on each raffle page and at checkout, with the postal address and what to include. Make it as easy to find as the buy button.
2. Ask for the same details as a paid entry
Typically: full name, address, phone number, email, date of birth, and the name of the raffle being entered. If the raffle has a question, include the answer. Ask for one entry per envelope or postcard, and say so clearly.
3. Apply the same limits
If paid players can buy up to a maximum number of tickets, use the same rules for free entries, so neither route is treated more favourably.
4. Leave time for the post
Set a cut-off for postal entries that allows for delivery times, and state it on the raffle page. Once a raffle is live, don't change its closing date: the Code says the date a draw ends shouldn't change.
5. Add every valid entry to the draw
Log each postal entry when it arrives, add it to the draw before it closes, and send the entrant confirmation of their ticket number if you can. Keep records in case anyone queries a draw.
6. Be fair about invalid entries
Publish what makes an entry invalid, such as missing details or arriving late, and apply it the same way every time.
Common free entry mistakes
- Only mentioning the free route in the terms and conditions
- Asking for extra steps, like a self-addressed envelope, that paid players don't need
- Using a premium-rate phone line or a paid app as the "free" route
- Leaving postal entries out of the draw, or adding them late
- Giving free entries a lower cap or a different chance of winning
How Reffle handles free entries
Every Reffle raffle has the free entry route built in, with the details shown on the raffle page. Free entry management in your dashboard lets you add postal entries one at a time or in bulk from a spreadsheet, so they're drawn on exactly the same terms as paid tickets. Combined with a legal opinion letter from our solicitor and terms and conditions written for raffle sites, you're set up properly from day one.
Want to see how it works? Book a free demo.
Questions people ask
Do I have to accept free entries by post?
Post is the method the Act spells out, and it's what most UK raffle sites use. Other free methods are allowed if they're no more expensive and no less convenient than paying.
Can I limit free entries to one per person?
Treat both routes the same. If you cap entries per person, apply the same cap whether people pay or enter by post.
Does a skill question remove the need for a free route?
Only if it's a real test of skill or knowledge. An easy question is treated as chance, so the free route is still needed.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Sources: Gambling Act 2005, section 14 and Schedule 2, paragraph 8 (legislation.gov.uk); ASA advice on free entry routes; DCMS Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators (gov.uk). Last checked October 2026.
