Dudley Council is considering launching a community lottery to raise funds for local good causes. The proposed Dudley Community Lottery would operate as an online weekly draw, giving residents the chance to win a top prize of £25,000 while supporting charities, clubs, groups and organisations across the borough.
Cabinet members will be asked to approve the scheme at a meeting on 13 August. If approved, the council would appoint Gatherwell Ltd, a licensed External Lottery Manager, to run the operation.
How the lottery would work
Players would buy £1 tickets and choose which local cause they want their money to support from those signed up to the scheme.
For each £1 ticket sold, 50p would go directly to the player's chosen good cause and 10p would go to the Dudley Community Celebrations Fund. This fund would support local events, celebrations and activities that bring communities together across the borough.
Based on comparable community lottery schemes elsewhere in the country, local good causes in Dudley borough could benefit from an estimated £75,000 to £150,000 each year.
Councillor backing
Councillor Damian Corfield, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said the lottery was "an exciting opportunity to generate additional funding for the fantastic organisations, charities and community groups which make such a positive difference across our borough."
Safeguards in place
The lottery will not replace existing grant programmes or statutory funding. Participation will be entirely voluntary, and the scheme will operate in line with Gambling Commission requirements, including responsible gambling controls.
