Quick answer: A free postal entry costs only a first or second class stamp and goes into the same draw as paid entries, with the same chance per entry. Chance-based prize draws offer it because, under Schedule 2 of the Gambling Act 2005, a genuine free route means the draw is not treated as a lottery.
Key takeaways
- A paid draw decided purely by chance counts as a lottery under the Gambling Act 2005, unless everyone can choose a publicised free route, such as ordinary post, and prizes are allocated the same way for both routes.
- The rules that knock out postal entries are simple: arrive before the closing date and any entry cap, include every detail, and send one entry per envelope.
- One postal entry equals one paid entry. It is a genuine free chance, but a slow one: each entry needs its own envelope and stamp.
Prefer something quicker than the post? New MrRaffle players can claim free tickets, and our free daily games need no purchase at all.
What is a free postal entry competition?
A free postal entry competition is a prize draw you can enter either by paying online or by posting your details to the promoter, with nothing to pay beyond the stamp. It is also called the "free entry route" or "no purchase necessary". Both routes lead into one draw, and the free route is set out in the promoter's terms.
The Gambling Commission describes two kinds of free draw: all-free draws, like most brand giveaways, and draws with a paid and a free route side by side. This guide is about the second kind.
Why do UK prize competitions offer free postal entry?
Because of how the Gambling Act 2005 defines a lottery. A draw is a lottery if people pay to take part and prizes are allocated wholly by chance, and promoting a lottery without a licence or exemption is an offence. A qualifying free entry route removes the "pay to take part" element, so no gambling licence is needed.
The key provisions, in plain English:
| Provision | What it says | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Section 14(2) | A simple lottery: people pay to take part and prizes are allocated wholly by chance | A paid draw with a random winner is a lottery by default |
| Section 14(5) | A skill test still counts as chance unless it can reasonably be expected to stop a significant proportion of people entering or winning | An easy question does not make a draw a skill competition |
| Section 258 | Promoting a lottery is an offence unless it is licensed or exempt | Lotteries cannot be run for commercial gain, so a business needs the free route |
| Schedule 2, para 5 | Posting a letter first or second class at a normal rate is not "paying" | Your stamp is not an entry fee |
| Schedule 2, para 8 | No payment is treated as required if everyone eligible can choose to pay or send a communication, the choice is publicised, and prizes are allocated the same way for both routes | The legal basis of free postal entry |
| Schedule 2, para 7 | Having to pay to claim a prize counts as paying to take part | A genuine draw never charges you to collect a win |
| Section 339 | A competition for prizes is not gambling unless it is gaming, a lottery or betting | Why compliant prize draws sit outside gambling regulation |
Two details matter. The Act expressly allows a posted letter as the free route, even though it is slower than paying online; any other free method must be neither more expensive nor less convenient than paying. And the Act covers Great Britain; Northern Ireland has its own law.
What the regulators add
The Gambling Commission does not license or approve these draws. Its guidance says the free route must be promoted at the same level as the paid route and that special delivery does not count as free. CAP Code rule 8.17.2 adds that a free entry route should be explained clearly and prominently, not just in the small print.
Since 20 November 2025 there has also been a DCMS Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators. It is not legislation. Signatories agree to show free entry details before the point of purchase, give free and paid entries an equal chance of each prize, and allow time for postal entries to arrive.
For the wider picture, see raffle vs prize draw vs lottery.
How do you enter a competition by post?
Find the promoter's free entry instructions, write your entry exactly as the terms ask, put one entry in each envelope, use first or second class post and send it early enough to arrive before the closing date. Most promoters send no confirmation, so keep a note of what you sent.
- Read the free entry terms: address, required details, and whether you need an account.
- Check the closing date and any entry cap. Instant win games can sell out early.
- Write clearly, in capitals if needed.
- Answer the question, if there is one.
- One entry per envelope. Bundled entries usually count as one.
- Post early, first or second class. Proof of posting is not proof of entry.
What should you include in a postal entry?
Include everything the promoter's terms list, written the same way as on your account. That is usually the competition name, your full name, postal address, phone number and email address, plus the answer to any question. A missing or mismatched detail is the easiest way to lose an entry.
| Include | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The exact competition name | Promoters run many draws at once |
| Full name and postal address | Eligibility checks; must match any account |
| Phone number and email | How the promoter contacts a winner |
| Answer to the question, if any | Wrong or missing answers are excluded |
How do you enter MrRaffle by post?
Open a free MrRaffle account, then post one entry per envelope, first or second class, to our postal entries address. Include the competition name, your full name, address, phone number and email (all matching your account) and your answer if there is a question. The full rules are in our competition terms.
The address, exactly as it appears in the terms:
TRUE HAVEN GROUP LTD
MRRAFFLE POSTAL ENTRIES
167-169 GREAT PORTLAND STREET
5TH FLOOR
LONDON
ENGLAND
W1W 5PF
A template to copy onto your entry:
Competition: [exact competition name as shown on the site]
Full name: [as on your MrRaffle account]
Address: [as on your MrRaffle account]
Phone: [as on your MrRaffle account]
Email: [as on your MrRaffle account]
Answer: [only if the competition asks a question]
In a main draw, valid entries with the correct answer join paid entries in the random draw. In an instant win game, a valid postal entrant is given an entry number by a random number generator, just as paid entries get one at random; if it matches an instant win number shown on the site, you win that prize.
Why do postal entries get rejected?
Almost always for a reason printed in the terms. At MrRaffle an entry misses the draw if it arrives late or after the entry cap is reached, is incomplete or illegible, is hand-delivered, or does not match an account. The other rule to know: several entries in one envelope count as one.
The full list from our terms:
- Arrived after the closing date. Proof of posting does not count.
- Entry cap reached first. If a game sells out before your envelope arrives, the free entry is not entered.
- Incomplete or illegible.
- No account, or details that do not match it. One account per person.
- Several entries in one envelope. Counted as one.
- Hand-delivered. Post only.
- Wrong answer, where there is a question.
- Not in English.
- Not eligible. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 or over; the promoter's staff and their households cannot enter.
Do postal entries ever win competitions?
Yes. A valid postal entry goes into the same draw as paid entries, and the law requires the prize system not to treat the two routes differently, so each postal entry has the same chance as one paid entry. How often postal entrants win overall depends on how many post in, and promoters rarely publish that split.
| Paid entry | Free postal entry | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | The entry price | A first or second class stamp |
| Speed | Instant | Several working days |
| Chance per entry | One entry in the draw | One entry in the same draw, same chance |
| Entries per action | As many as you buy, up to any limit | One per envelope |
In any draw, your chance is your entries divided by the total entries. In a capped draw, one entry of either kind never has a worse chance than one in the cap.
On MrRaffle, paid play also earns jackpot tickets: every 10p played earns a free ticket into the one jackpot draw you choose, Daily, Weekly or Monthly. Before paying for any draw, it is worth knowing how to spot a legit prize competition.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free entry to a Win a House competition in the UK?
Usually, if the house is won in a paid draw decided by chance. To avoid being treated as a lottery, that draw needs a free entry route that meets Schedule 2 of the Gambling Act 2005. Look for the postal address and rules in the promoter's terms before you pay, and check the closing date carefully.
Do skill competitions need a free entry route?
Not if the skill test is real. A competition that needs enough skill, judgement or knowledge to stop a significant proportion of people entering or winning is not a lottery, so it can charge without a free route. The Gambling Commission says multiple-choice questions rarely meet that test, so many promoters offer postal entry anyway.
Should I send a postal entry by Special Delivery or Signed For?
There is no need. The Act defines ordinary post as first or second class without special delivery arrangements, and MrRaffle's terms ask for first or second class post. A tracking receipt only shows your envelope was delivered; it does not show the entry was valid, on time and entered before any cap.
Will I be told if my postal entry was accepted?
Usually not. MrRaffle, like many promoters, does not acknowledge postal entries or confirm whether your answer was correct. If you win, the promoter contacts you using the phone number or email you supplied, which is one reason your details must match your account exactly and stay up to date.
Sources
- Gambling Act 2005, section 14 (Lottery), legislation.gov.uk, accessed 24 September 2026
- Gambling Act 2005, Schedule 2 (Lotteries: definition of payment to enter), legislation.gov.uk, accessed 24 September 2026
- Gambling Act 2005, section 258 (Promotion of lottery), legislation.gov.uk, accessed 24 September 2026
- Gambling Act 2005, section 339 (Prize competitions), legislation.gov.uk, accessed 24 September 2026
- Free draws and prize competitions, Gambling Commission, accessed 24 September 2026
- Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators, DCMS, accessed 24 September 2026
- Promotional marketing: Free entry routes, ASA and CAP, accessed 24 September 2026
- CAP Code, Section 8: Promotional marketing, ASA and CAP, accessed 24 September 2026
- MrRaffle Competition Terms and Conditions, accessed 24 September 2026
Play responsibly
MrRaffle is for UK residents aged 18 and over. Only play with money you can afford to spend, set a budget before you start, and take a break if it stops being fun.
Want to enter for free? Everything you need is in our competition terms. For a faster free start, claim free tickets or try the free daily games, and if you are after a car, read how to win a car for free in the UK.
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