The Online Competition Standards Authority (OCSA) is an independent standards and certification body for UK online prize-draw operators. It was founded in response to the DCMS Voluntary Code of Good Practice (2025) and provides auditing, certification and draw integrity services to the sector.

No. OCSA is an independent standards body, not a regulator. It does not have statutory powers. Certification indicates compliance with OCSA standards and alignment with the DCMS Voluntary Code, but is not a legal requirement or regulatory approval.

What is the DCMS Voluntary Code of Good Practice for prize draws?

The DCMS Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators was published by the UK Government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport in 2025. Over 100 operators have signed it. It sets out standards for player protection, transparency, draw integrity and accountability. The full implementation deadline is 20 May 2026.

Are UK online prize draws legal?

Yes. UK online prize draws are legal under the Gambling Act 2005 provided a genuine free entry route exists alongside any paid entry route. They are not regulated by the Gambling Commission. The DCMS Voluntary Code of Good Practice provides the primary regulatory framework.

How does OCSA certification work?

OCSA offers three certification tiers: Certified (£75/month), Silver (£275/month) and Gold (£1,275/month). Each tier requires an audit of the operator's website and processes against OCSA's standards. OCSA standards are more demanding than the DCMS Voluntary Code.

What is the OCSA draw register?

The OCSA public draw register at draws.ocsa.org.uk/register/ records all certified draws with permanent blockchain verification on the Polygon mainnet. Each draw uses Chainlink VRF (verifiable random function) to ensure results cannot be predicted or manipulated.

What is the OCSA instant win prize manifest register?

The OCSA instant win register at draws.ocsa.org.uk/iw/ publishes the SHA-256 hash of each sealed prize manifest before the competition opens. OCSA acts as independent arbiter — generating all winning ticket numbers before sales begin and holding the manifest encrypted. Neither the operator nor OCSA staff can alter winning ticket numbers after sealing.

OCSA Certified Draw - Demo Live Now

The OCSA Certified Draw system is currently live in Demo, coinciding with the DCMS Code implementation deadline. OCSA Certified operators are able to run blockchain-verified draws right now. The OCSA public draw register will update automatically with every certified draw completed. A copy of the certificate is emailed to the operator after every certified draw.

Prices start below £3 for OCSA Certified Operators on any draw up to 999,999,999 entries

If you want to run a certified draw and you are not an OCSA Certified Operator, prices start at £5 per draw

For early access or operator enquiries, contact info@ocsa.org.uk

Blockchain verified · Powered by Chainlink VRF

Not a prize draw operator?

The OCSA Certified Draw system is available to anyone who needs a fully verifiable, independently documented random selection. Law firms, charities, schools, sports clubs and event organisers use certified draws where a defensible, permanent record of the result matters. No OCSA membership required - certified draws are available from £9.

Blockchain verified · Powered by Chainlink VRF

Every draw. Independently verifiable. Forever.

The OCSA Certified Draw system uses Chainlink VRF to generate provably random winning tickets. Every result is written permanently to the Polygon blockchain. No trust in OCSA required.

View the OCSA Draw System →

Public draw register · Certificate verification · Operator login

Genuinely independent

The winning ticket is generated by Chainlink's decentralised oracle network. OCSA cannot influence, predict, or alter any result.

Publicly verifiable

Every result is published to the Polygon blockchain. Anyone can independently verify any draw using the transaction hash on Polygonscan.

Permanent record

Blockchain records cannot be altered or deleted. Every OCSA draw result is preserved permanently, regardless of what happens to any operator.

DCMS Code compliant

The DCMS Voluntary Code requires verifiably random and auditable draw processes. Chainlink VRF is the industry standard for provably fair randomness.

OCSA Blockchain Draw Certificate OCSA-2026-04-22-0001

Winning ticket

4827361

Lamborghini Huracan EVO — April 2026

DEMO-COMPS-001 · 9,000,000 tickets · 22 Apr 2026 19:14:32 UTC

Transaction hash0x3f8a2c91d4e7b05f6a1c3d9e2b7f4a8c5d1e3f9b...

Block number58,247,391

NetworkPolygon mainnet · Chainlink VRF v2.5

Verify independentlypolygonscan.com/tx/0x3f8a... ↗

This result was generated by Chainlink VRF and written permanently to the Polygon blockchain. It cannot be altered by OCSA, the operator, or any third party. The transaction hash is your independent proof.

Ready to run certified draws?

OCSA Certified Draw is available to OCSA-certified operators. Each draw costs £2.50 and produces an independently verifiable blockchain certificate automatically, emailed to the operator and published to the public register.

Contact OCSA to get started

OCSA Certified Draw - Demo Live Now

Every draw. Independently verifiable. Forever.

Ready to run certified draws?

0330 223 7628