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Free postal entry routes

A free postal route sits alongside the paid online route on many UK prize competitions, and it's central to how these draws are structured legally. This guide explains the structure and what to check — it isn't a shortcut for finding 'free competitions' to enter.

Last reviewed 20 Aug 2026 · Reviewed by Prize Scout editorial

Why the free route exists

The Gambling Commission explains that qualifying free draws and prize competitions can be run without a lottery licence when the legal conditions are met. In practice, many UK operators publish a paid online entry route and a free postal route into the same underlying structure — the free route is what keeps the competition outside lottery licensing rather than an optional extra.

That's a statement about legal structure, not a verdict on any individual operator. Whether a specific competition is set up correctly is a question about that operator's own terms, not something a general explanation can answer for you.

What to check in an operator's own terms

Before treating a free postal route as a real alternative to paying, look for clear answers to each of these in the operator's current terms:

1. Is the free route explained clearly? It should be stated in plain terms, not buried or vague about what it actually gets you.
2. Is the postal address current? Terms pages get updated; an address copied from an old screenshot or a third-party summary — including this one — may be out of date.
3. What information must be included? Operators typically require specific details on the entry (your name, address, the competition you're entering) for it to count.
4. When must an entry arrive? Terms usually set a cut-off for when a postal entry needs to reach the operator, not just when you need to post it — check which one applies.
5. Are free entries treated in the same draw as paid entries? This is the detail that matters most: confirm the terms state free and paid entries go into the same pool, rather than a separate or secondary one.

Go to the operator's own terms page, not a summary of it

Prize Scout doesn't host or reproduce any operator's free-entry terms, and won't paraphrase a route that can change without notice. If you're considering a specific competition, check that operator's current terms page directly — see the operators Prize Scout tracks for the list — and read the free-entry clause in full rather than relying on a summary, including this one.

For the legal basis itself, the Gambling Commission's guidance on free draws and prize competitions is the primary source, and it's worth reading directly rather than through a second-hand explanation.