The lottery should stay a gentle way of giving

Our commitment

The C.A.R.S. Community Lottery exists to keep In the Pink, P.A.L.S. and our community cancer hubs free for everyone who needs them. It is a form of giving with a small element of chance attached — and we want it to stay exactly that: modest, unhurried and entirely within your means. We deliberately keep the tone of the lottery calm. There are no countdowns, no urgency and no suggestion that playing is the best or only way to support our work; a straightforward donation is always available and always welcome.

If playing the lottery ever stops feeling comfortable, we would genuinely rather you paused, reduced or stopped. Nothing about our work depends on any one person playing, and no one at the charity will ever encourage you to spend more than you planned.

Age restriction — 18 or over, always

Every part of the lottery is restricted to people aged 18 or over, in line with the Gambling Act 2005. When you enter you must actively confirm that you are 18 or over, and age and identity are verified before any prize is paid. If an entry is found to have been made by someone under 18, the entry is void, the stake is returned and no prize is paid. We never design lottery marketing to appeal to children, and we use no cartoons, mascots or similar imagery anywhere on this site.

Staying in control

Practical tools, all free, all available by emailing support@scteactivities.org.uk:

• Set a budget before you play. Decide what the lottery is worth to you per month — as you would any other giving — and keep to it. One entry a week is a complete way to take part.
• Spend limits. Ask us to cap the number of entries on your account per draw or per month, and we will hold you to it.
• Take a break. Ask for a time-out of any length — a week, a month, longer. Your entries and our lottery marketing stop for that period, and nothing restarts until you say so.
• Cancel a subscription. Cancellation is free, immediate on receipt, and takes effect before the next draw when it reaches us by the weekly cut-off.
• Close your account. Ask and we will close your lottery account and confirm in writing.

Self-exclusion

Self-exclusion is a stronger, formal version of taking a break. Email support@scteactivities.org.uk and ask to self-exclude: we will stop all your entries, refuse any new ones, remove you from all lottery marketing and keep a record so the exclusion is enforced. Self-exclusion lasts a minimum of six months (or longer if you choose) and does not end automatically — it is only lifted if you ask after the period has passed, and after a 24-hour cooling-off period.

GAMSTOP (gamstop.co.uk) is the free national self-exclusion scheme covering online gambling operators licensed by the Gambling Commission in Great Britain. The C.A.R.S. Community Lottery is a small society lottery registered withNorth West Leicestershire District Council (registration reference SL0142) rather than a Gambling Commission remote operator, so it is not covered by GAMSTOP — please use our own self-exclusion process above to exclude from this lottery. GAMSTOP remains a valuable wider tool if you want to exclude from online gambling generally. Blocking software such as Gamban (gamban.com) and the gambling blocks offered by most UK banks on debit cards add a further practical layer.

Signs it may be becoming a problem

Gambling harm can build quietly, and it can affect anyone. It may be time to pause and talk to someone if you notice yourself:

• spending more than you planned, or more than you can comfortably afford;
• chasing losses, or entering extra draws to “win back” money;
• hiding your playing from family or friends;
• borrowing money to play;
• playing to escape stress, low mood or loneliness;
• feeling anxious, irritable or guilty about playing.

None of these means something is wrong with you — they are simply signals worth listening to, and free confidential help is a phone call away.