About OCSA
Chair’s Statement
The UK prize-draw sector is at a point of transition.
The publication of the DCMS Voluntary Code of Good Practice signals that UK Government expectations have changed. While the DCMS Code is currently non-statutory, it reflects a clear shift from informal tolerance to active scrutiny, with a defined period in which the sector is expected to demonstrate higher standards of transparency, fairness, and consumer protection.
OCSA was established in response to that moment of transition.
Our purpose is not to regulate, enforce, or replace existing authorities. It is to provide structure where there has been ambiguity, consistency where there has been divergence, and practical frameworks where expectations have been stated but not operationalised.
Voluntary standards only succeed when they are credible, observable, and applied in good faith. OCSA exists to help operators and their teams translate published expectations into workable practice, and to raise the sector floor in a way that is proportionate, realistic, and transparent.
This matters not only for consumer confidence, but for the long-term sustainability of the sector itself.
A sector that can demonstrate maturity, shared standards, and independent assessment is a sector that earns trust — from consumers, from partners, and from government.
That is the role OCSA intends to play.
Richard Jackson
Founder & Chair
Online Competition Standards Authority (OCSA)
March 2026
The Online Competition Standards Authority (OCSA) is an independent standards body for UK prize-draw competitions.
Our purpose is to raise levels of fairness, transparency, and integrity across the sector by setting clear industry standards, offering voluntary certification to responsible operators, and supporting alignment with UK consumer protection and advertising requirements.
OCSA operates independently of government and regulators, and has been structured to complement existing law and policy while remaining aligned with the future direction of the sector.
OCSA exists to help operators transition from previously tolerated practices to modern, defensible standards — before that transition is forced upon them by legislation.
What OCSA Does
OCSA supports responsible online prize-draw operators that seek to operate openly and in accordance with:
UK consumer protection law
ASA advertising standards
The UK Government’s Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draws (2025)
The OCSA Code of Practice
We provide:
clear, published standards for prize-draw operators
voluntary certification for compliant businesses
guidance and education
transparency and disclosure expectations
consumer-facing accountability mechanisms
Scope and Regulatory Boundary
OCSA is not a gambling regulator.
We provide standards, guidance, and certification only for online prize-draw competitions.
OCSA does not regulate or oversee:
online gambling products
casino or slots websites
betting or sportsbooks
bingo sites
instant-win gambling products
National Lottery products
lotteries, raffles, or any activity requiring a gambling licence
Gambling regulation in the United Kingdom is carried out by the Gambling Commission.
If you have a concern relating to a gambling product or licensed operator, you should contact the Gambling Commission directly.
Prize-Draw Competitions and UK Law
Under UK law, prize-draw competitions fall outside the definition of gambling where winners are selected randomly and participants are offered a genuine free route of entry.
OCSA supports operators who structure and operate prize-draw competitions in accordance with this legal framework, applicable consumer law, advertising standards, and recognised voluntary codes of practice.