Middlesbrough Council approves £25k lottery to fund cultural events

Councillor Mieka Smiles said a lottery would raise vital funds for cultural events

A council has agreed to launch a £25,000 jackpot lottery to fund cultural activities and events.

Middlesbrough Council said 60% of the money raised through the lottery would contribute to a shortfall caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

Measures will be in place to stop problem gamblers, and 60p of each £1 ticket will go to the council's causes.

The lottery, which has a one in one million chance of the jackpot being won, will launch later this year.

The council said the coronavirus lockdown has hit culture and arts hard with venues closed and events cancelled.

'Bolster budgets'

Cash prizes of £1,000, £250 and £25 will also be up for grabs from the six-number draw - but there will be maximum purchase limits with players unable to buy more than 20 tickets. 

Mieka Smiles, executive member for culture and communities, said events are not a "vital council service" but they "bring so many benefits to the town".

She said she hoped the lottery could "bolster" the town's events budget but its profits would depend on how many people played it. 

Out of every £1 ticket, 60p will go towards "cultural activity", 20p will cover prizes, 17p will go to lottery operator Gatherwell and 3p will be VAT, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It will cost about £10,500 to set up but there is no forecast for how much it could make.