Raffle your vehicle - Is it illegal?

flicko

Just wondering, as I assume that it is actually illegal, but what are the procedures on organising a raffle where the prize is your vehicle?

I've had a look online, and seen stories about this, and, while most are non-profitable organisations, some weren't and were, apparently, legitimate.

Some sites stated that in certain counties it is legal and in others it isn't, others stated that raffling your private possessions is considered a lottery and thus classes as illegal gambling, others stated that you need a special license in order to do such a thing. This has left me a little confused, and I'd appreciate being put right about this.

I'm assuming it's just wishful thinking, wishful thainking that many people have thought up before, but would like the all-clear. Thanks.

Wig

To stop it being a lottery, you need to ask the entrants a question before they can enter, it needs to be a question which requires some degree of knowledge.

Something like What year was the Vauxhall Corsa introduced into the UK market? You can give multiple choice answers. You would need someone independant to do and oversee the draw.

Kilty_2

Wig wrote: »

To stop it being a lottery, you need to ask the entrants a question before they can enter, it needs to be a question which requires some degree of knowledge.

Something like What year was the Vauxhall Corsa introduced into the UK market? You can give multiple choice answers. You would need someone independant to do and oversee the draw.

Can the options be as ridiculous as those TV competitions? ie

A. 1704
B. 1314
C. 19xx ?

Wig

Kilty wrote: »

Can the options be as ridiculous as those TV competitions? ie

A. 1704
B. 1314
C. 19xx ?

Theoretically no, it needs to be quite hard. Some of the TV shows offer a free entry method via the internet which means the question can be really simple. Because free entry makes it not a lottery, even though some/most entrants pay.

flicko

This person who would have to do and oversee the draw; does it matter who they are? I'm sure a family member would not be a suitable person to step up to the plate?

I'm keen to do this, but am struggling to think of ways to get this idea out there to the public on a large scale. I've thought of contacting my local council to ask if I could take my vehicle into the shopping centre for a day and entice people that way, I've also thought of creating groups/pages on social networking sites like Facebook. and I've also thought of posting this up on internet forums or sale sites, like Gumtree/Ebay/AutoTrader and the likes. And then there's the option of posting flyers through letterboxes.

I know this sort of thing is prohibited on Ebay, and am aware that on most, if not all internet forums this would obviously be classed as advertising, which is not allowed.

It would certainly be a calculated risk to go ahead with this, what with me possibly not reaching my target price, but one I'm interested in going ahead with. If anybody could chip in with ideas on this I'd be most grateful.

[Deleted User]

Sounds like a lot of hassle to sell a car.

flicko

Indeed, but putting in the legwork would result in thousands of pounds more than just selling your car for a fixed price.

dzug1

I have a feeling you need a licence to run a raffle that is open to the public. Given that I don't believe it's illegal

geo555

Is it really worth all the hassle?
How much is the car worth? What price would the tickets be? How many would you have to sell? What happens if you don't sell enough tickets?
A similar thing has happened before with people trying to sell their houses. Some even got mentioned in the national press, but I don't think any of them actually sold enough tickets to make it a viable proposition and all the money received had to be refunded.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

donating a portion of profit maybe the way around it and someone from your local charity mabe able to help you see it through.

if you sold raffle tickets at say a £3.00 and donated £1.10p to charity of your choice they maybe willing to help you through it all.

Wig

Esiquil_Lara wrote: »

You can only raffle off something if it benefits a charity, not so you can buy a better car

Not true.

geo555 wrote: »

Is it really worth all the hassle?
How much is the car worth? What price would the tickets be? How many would you have to sell? What happens if you don't sell enough tickets?
A similar thing has happened before with people trying to sell their houses. Some even got mentioned in the national press, but I don't think any of them actually sold enough tickets to make it a viable proposition and all the money received had to be refunded.

Not so,

I entered to win the million pound house, they sold 46,000 £25 tickets, and the gambling commision delayed the draw because they were not satisfied with the question asked but the organisers had a solicitor and they had agreed the question and the process with the gambling commision before they started selling. The gambling commision eventually agreed the process had been followed correctly the house was won by a guy in Germany.

http://www.winadevonpropertywithfishing.co.uk