Countdown to 20 May 2026: Why Your Random Number Generator Could Be Your Biggest Compliance Risk

The clock is ticking. Signatories to the DCMS Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators have until 20 May 2026 to be fully compliant — and one requirement is catching many operators off guard.

What the Code Actually Says About Draw Selection

The Code is explicit. Under clause 2.2:

"Prizes are to be awarded fairly in accordance with the rules and terms displayed to players. This should be by an independent person, or under the supervision of an independent person, unless winners are selected by a computer process that produces verifiably random and auditable results."

Read that again. Verifiably random. And auditable.

This is not a minor administrative box to tick. This goes to the very heart of what makes a prize draw fair — and it directly challenges one of the most widespread practices in the industry today: using Google's random number generator to select winners.

Why Google's RNG Doesn't Cut It

Google's random number generator is a convenient tool, built for general consumer use. Type in a range, click generate, and a number appears. Simple. But for paid prize draw competitions, simple is not good enough.

Here's why:

It produces no audit trail. There is no record of the draw, no timestamp, no evidence that the result was generated at the point of the draw, and no way for a player to independently verify the outcome.

It is not designed for competitions. Google built this tool for casual, everyday use — not for the selection of winners in draws where paying participants have a financial stake in the outcome.

It cannot be independently verified. The Code requires results to be auditable. A screenshot of a Google number is not an audit. It is simply an image that could have been produced at any time.

It does not demonstrate compliance. With DCMS oversight firmly in place and formal regulation the stated next step if the sector falls short, operators using Google's RNG are exposed.

The UKCPSA Random Number Generator: Built for Exactly This

The UKCPSA random number generator was developed specifically for UK prize draw operators, with the requirements of the Code and DCMS compliance built in from the ground up.

Unlike Google's tool, the UKCPSA RNG:

✅ Produces truly random results using a cryptographically secure process — not a pseudo-random algorithm designed for casual use

✅ Generates a full auditable record of every draw, including timestamp, draw parameters, and the result — precisely what clause 2.2 requires

✅ Is independently verifiable — players and regulators can be satisfied that the result is genuine

✅ Is DCMS compliant — designed around the specific language and requirements of the Voluntary Code

✅ Demonstrates transparency and accountability — the two other pillars of the Code alongside player protections

Your Players Are Paying. They Deserve Better.

The Code exists because the UK prize draw sector has grown enormously — worth £1.3 billion annually, with 7.4 million adult participants. Those are real people spending real money, and they have a right to know that the draw they entered was conducted fairly.

Clause 2.2 is clear that entries via both paid and free routes must have an equal chance of winning. That equality of chance can only be demonstrated if the draw process itself is genuinely random and verifiably so.

If you are still using Google's random number generator, or any tool that cannot produce a verifiable, auditable, truly random result, you are not compliant with the Code. It is that straightforward.

The UKCPSA RNG is available now, and at only £24.99 per month, switching is simple. Don't let your draw selection process be the reason your competition business falls short of the standard your players — and the Government — expect.

👉 Try the UKCPSA DCMS Compliant Random Number Generator