Editorial note: this guide is general information about how bingo, competitions, lotteries and gambling work in the UK. It is not advice, and it does not describe any specific promotion offered by Fortune Games. Rules, prices and regulations can change, so always check the operator’s current terms.
Can competition owners enter their own competitions?
In practice, no — and you should want it that way. Reputable prize competition operators exclude the business’s owners, employees and usually their immediate families from entering, and say so in the terms. There is no specific law naming who may enter, but a promotion must be run fairly and be seen to be fair, and an owner winning their own draw destroys that instantly.
Why the exclusion exists
A competition’s credibility rests on every entrant having the stated chance and the prize genuinely leaving the business. If insiders can enter, every win invites the suspicion that the draw was steered or that the “winner” simply kept the prize in-house. Advertising rules require promotions to be administered fairly and prizes awarded as described, so excluding people connected to the promoter is the standard, expected safeguard — the same reason big brand promotions exclude employees and their households.
What to check before entering
Open the terms and look for the eligibility clause: it should exclude the promoter’s owners, staff and close family. Then look at how wins are evidenced — entry lists, live or recorded draws, and named winners over time. Be cautious if the same small circle of names keeps winning, if winners are never identifiable at all, or if the terms are silent on insiders. A clean operator treats the exclusion as basic hygiene; its absence tells you something about how seriously fairness is taken.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal for a competition owner to enter their own draw?
There is no specific statute naming who may enter, but promotions must be run fairly under advertising and consumer rules — and insider wins fail that test, so reputable terms exclude them.
Are staff allowed to enter their employer’s competition?
Standard terms exclude employees and usually their immediate families, for the same fairness reasons as owners. Check the eligibility clause before entering.
How would I know if an insider won?
You often wouldn’t — which is the problem. Entry lists, recorded draws and identifiable winners over time are the safeguards that make insider wins visible or impossible.
What should the terms say about who can enter?
An eligibility clause excluding the promoter’s owners, employees and close family, alongside age and residency rules. Silence on insiders is a reason for caution.
Related guides: Are competition winners real? · Who regulates competitions? · Do winners have to be announced?
18+ only. Gambling should be fun, never a way to make money. Please play responsibly and only with money you can afford to lose. If gambling is affecting you or someone you know, free, confidential support is available 24/7 from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, run by GamCare. You can also visit BeGambleAware (begambleaware.org) or self-exclude from UK-licensed online operators through GAMSTOP (gamstop.co.uk).