Two operators have removed their signatures from the voluntary code of conduct for prize draw operators less than two months before the code is due to be implemented by signatories.
A notice from the Departure for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on Monday 30 March revealed that both Easy Living Competitions and Sweepstarz have withdrawn from the agreement.
Easy Living Competitions, which is headquartered in London, primary hosts draws that are focused on cash prizes.
Registered as ELC Events on Companies House, the company reported profits of more than £50,000 in its most recently available financial results, which covered the 12 months ending 31 December 2024.
ELC Events was incorporated in December 2022, as per Companies House. John Steyne is listed as the person with significant control of the business.
Meanwhile, the Suffolk-based Sweepstarz first registered with Companies House in January 2024. Ian Pollard is named as the person with significant control. Pollard is also listed on Wincredibile Competitions’ Companies House docket.
The latest available financial results show the firm made a loss of £3,500 between 6 January 2024 and 31 January 2025.
Sweepstarz responded to EGR on Tuesday March 31 after being approached for comment. An email read: “At the moment there hasn’t been enough information about it and [we’re] pulling out until [we] can make an informed decision, we will probably be back on, but nothing has been set in stone or spoken about recently.”
EGR has asked further questions to Sweepstarz since. Easy Living Competitions has been contacted too.
The code of conduct was first introduced by the DCMS in November 2025 as a means to introduce a form of voluntary regulatory oversight into the prize draw sector.
The agreement was initially signed by 23 companies, including the likes of Omaze and Raffle House, with a view to implementing the new regulations by May 2026.
Although the Gambling Commission doesn’t regulate the prize draw vertical, the agreement has several overlaps with gambling industry regulations and requirements of licensed operators.
The player protections included in the code include companies implementing an age verification system for customers, allowing players to set spending limits, limiting credit card spending to £250 monthly and introducing self-exclusion tools.
Firms that signed the agreement also pledged to provide greater transparency with regards to prize draw rules, as well as openly directing players to free-to-enter routes.
Details of charitable donations, such as their size and frequency, must also be disclosed by prize draw operators.
Companies also agreed to put systems in place to monitor adherence to the code, in addition to holding third-party partners accountable.
Signatories have also made a commitment to adhere to the marketing regulations set out by the Advertising Standards Agency’s CAP Code.
The post Two prize draw operators withdraw from DCMS-led code of conduct first appeared on EGR Intel.
Easy Living Competitions and Sweepstarz remove their signatures from the voluntary agreement which is required to be adopted businesses in the sector by May 2026
The post Two prize draw operators withdraw from DCMS-led code of conduct first appeared on EGR Intel.