STW font of all wisdom, today’s unusual question.

If I want to run a competition, where there is a cost to enter, the winner is determined by skill, and there is a cash prize. Will I fall foul of the law?

Here is the 2005 Gambling Act. Sounds like your competition does not currently fall into this remit if it is a game of skill.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2005/ukpga_20050019_en_1

I am not up to speed on “games of skill”, just this legislation.

Thanks Simon, looks like as it is a game of skill that I may be OK?

Right, I’ll post this but restating that I am not an expert.

There is a grey area when it comes to pubs running poker nights. You need to be very careful about what the game is, and is it in fact a game of 100%skill. Telephone quizzes are another grey area where the questions are so easy it is in fact a “lottery”.

Don’t forget that pub quiz nights are fine, and you may want to speak to a publican who runs these as they should, in theory, know the law.

I think game of skill element stops it being a lottery. That’s why those phone lines have the question – it stops them being legally defined as a lottery.