Trust & Safety 5 min read

Why We Only Show Operators Listed on the Government Code

RaffleScout only lists competition operators that have signed the DCMS Voluntary Code. Here's why, how we check, and what the Code does and doesn't promise.

Quick answer

RaffleScout only lists prize draw operators that appear on the government's published list of signatories to the DCMS Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators. The Code is the only common standard in the UK prize draw market, so it is the clearest way to give you a consistent baseline of fair play before you spend money.

The problem the Code solves

Prize draws with a free entry route are not licensed by the Gambling Commission, so for years there was no shared rulebook. Some operators ran clear, well-managed draws. Others cut prizes, moved closing dates or buried the free entry route. From the outside it was hard to tell them apart.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) published the Voluntary Code in November 2025. Signatories agreed to implement it in full by 20 May 2026.

What signatories commit to

  • Draws open to over-18s only, with reasonable age checks.
  • Credit card payments capped at £250 a month per player, and no credit cards for instant wins.
  • Monthly spend limits, including the option to set your own limit to £0.
  • A clear complaints process, with a dispute resolution process where needed.
  • Clear information on your chance of winning before you enter, where possible, such as the maximum number of tickets.
  • A free entry route shown clearly before you pay, with the same chance of winning as a paid entry.
  • Winners chosen by an independent person, or by a verifiably random and auditable computer process or certified drawing machine.
  • No cutting the prize, changing the end date or cancelling a draw because tickets have sold slowly.
  • Holding affiliates and other partners, including sites like ours, to the same standards.

How we check

  • We use the official signatory list on GOV.UK. We do not rely on an operator's own claim, a badge on their site, or third-party lists.
  • We check the list before adding any operator.
  • If an operator stops appearing on the list, we remove its listings.
  • We have removed operators that were not on the list, including ones with popular competitions.

What the Code does not promise

The Code is voluntary. DCMS states that breaking it is not, on its own, a breach of the law, and there is no regulator issuing fines. If signatories don't follow it, DCMS has said it will consider its options.

So a signatory is not guaranteed to be perfect. That is why every operator page on RaffleScout also shows reviews, company details and how draws are run. Our 10-point legitimacy checklist covers what else to look at.

Equally, an operator missing from our site is not necessarily a scam. Some smaller operators run fair draws without having signed. We simply think a public commitment to a shared standard is the right minimum for a site that recommends where to spend money.

How we make money, and why it doesn't change this rule

We earn a fee from some operators when you click through or buy tickets, through affiliate and referral agreements. Those agreements never decide whether an operator is listed. A non-signatory cannot pay to appear on RaffleScout, and signatories do not pay to be included. Where a placement is paid, it is labelled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can operators pay to be listed on RaffleScout?

No. Being on the government's signatory list is the requirement for a listing. Commercial agreements only affect how we are paid for referrals, never whether an operator appears.

Is an operator unsafe if it isn't on RaffleScout?

Not necessarily. It means the operator has not signed the Voluntary Code, or that we have not added it yet. Check the GOV.UK list and run through our legitimacy checklist before entering.

Where is the official list of signatories?

It is published by DCMS on GOV.UK alongside the Voluntary Code. The list is updated from time to time as operators join.

What happens if a signatory breaks the Code?

Raise it with the operator first. If that doesn't work, you can raise concerns with DCMS, and you keep your normal consumer rights. See our guide on how to complain about a competition site.

Sources

Last updated November 2026.