The DCMS Prize Draw Code Is Still Growing. Now Operators Need to Show Their Standards

The UK’s prize draw sector has received another signal that voluntary standards are becoming part of the market’s mainstream. In its 1 September 2026 update, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport added Legion Comps and WinHive to the operator signatories of its Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators.

The additions may look modest, but they matter. Every new signatory raises the visibility of the Code, and every new commitment gives consumers another way to judge whether an operator is serious about fairness, transparency and accountability.

A growing code raises the standard for everyone

The DCMS Code applies to prize draws and competitions with both paid and free entry routes. These draws do not currently require a licence under the Gambling Act 2005 because a free entry route is available, but that does not mean they operate in a standards-free environment.

The Code is built around three principles: player protections, transparency and accountability. It reflects the reality of a fast-growing market worth an estimated £1.3 billion annually, with 7.4 million adult participants and more than 400 operators.

As the list of signatories grows, the question for operators is changing. It is no longer simply whether a company can say it is responsible. It is whether it can demonstrate responsible practice consistently, across its payment systems, marketing, complaints process and live draws.

Voluntary does not mean invisible

The Code is voluntary, and it does not replace consumer law, advertising rules, data protection obligations or other legal responsibilities. However, voluntary commitments still influence consumer expectations, commercial relationships and the direction of future oversight.

The practical protections are significant. Operators should restrict participation to people aged 18 and over, use reasonable age verification, provide a transparent complaints and dispute-resolution process, and avoid accepting more than £250 per month in credit-card payments from an individual player. Credit-card payments should not be accepted at all for instant-win prize draws.

These measures are especially relevant because 88% of prize-draw participants also take part in commercial gambling or lotteries. The DCMS research identified higher levels of participation and spending among people experiencing gambling-related harm. Responsible operators therefore need to treat compliance as an ongoing operating discipline, not a statement added to a website footer.

The draw itself must be independently credible

Payment controls and clear terms are essential, but the defining moment of every prize draw is still the winner selection. This is where a player needs confidence that the outcome was genuinely random, that the process was not manipulated and that the operator can produce evidence after the event.

A basic random number generator may produce an answer, but it does not automatically provide a complete trust framework. Operators should consider how the selection process is secured, whether it can be independently verified, what records are retained and how the result can be explained to a customer who asks a reasonable question about fairness.

That is why independent winner selection is becoming an important part of professional prize-draw operations. A cryptographically secure process, supported by appropriate records and verification, turns a claim of randomness into evidence that can withstand customer, partner and regulatory scrutiny.

Build evidence before you need it

The addition of Legion Comps and WinHive to the DCMS signatory list is a reminder that standards are becoming more visible across the sector. It is also a reminder that signing a code is only the starting point. Operators need processes that work in practice and evidence that shows those processes were followed.

The UKCPSA Certified Ticket Selector provides independent, cryptographically secure winner selection for live draws. It is designed for operators that want to demonstrate fairness beyond a basic random-number tool, with a process suitable for high-value and government-grade draws.

When the market is growing, trust should scale with it. Learn more about our Certified Ticket Selector and give every draw a stronger foundation of independently verifiable fairness.