# National Lottery - Illegal to buy while abroad



## RogerAndHeather (Dec 23, 2007)

Hi all

I have a debit card registered with the National Lottery and for the past few years have been happily buying draw tickets on-line during our 6 months across the water.

My card has just expired, and due to having a credit balance I had to call them to update my details. No problem, until they asked if I wanted to take part in a survey and I said "No, I am on my mobile in Portugal". I was then given the third degree and warned by this stern lady that I was committing an offence by purchasing draw tickets while out of the country. No problem if I had a direct debit subscription for the main 'lotto' draw while having a permanent address in the UK (which we have) but, no purchases, e.g. 'UK Euromillions' are allowed while outside of UK territory.

I am now probably on their blacklist and I suppose that it follows that we could not buy Spanish Euromillions while on holiday if we didn't have a permanent in Spain.

Wouldn't it be sad if we had won a jackpot and they wouldn't pay out. Also if it against the law would I be charged with an offence?

Regards 

Roger & Heather (in sunny camping asseiceira)


----------



## halkynhymer (Aug 1, 2008)

*UK LOTTO & Post Codes*

You might like to know that UK servicemen and their families are equally prohibited from purchasing UK LOTTO tickets online - despite being UK govt employees, tax payers, UK bank account holders etc etc. We have many other problems because we don't have "post codes", it seems the UK cannot function without these - the Govt has been told many times that servicemen are being marginalised because we often find it difficult/impossible to do any sort of business with the UK because of this - it seems it "only affects a small minority so it isn't a problem". An assistant in a shop in Tunbridge Wells once refused to sell me a 9 pound cable because I didn't have a post code!! to quote that awfull TV programme "computer says no". I sometimes (often) despair at what has happened to the UK in the last 10 years. Let's hope we can figure a way 'round it if our numbers come up!!!


----------



## kennyo (Mar 22, 2006)

Hi 
I noticed this when they sent me a reminder to buy tickets in advance if going away as there was a lot of people now going away for a few months at a time and it was illegal to buy outside the uk. When i was reading the small print it says it is the goverment of the country you are in that might not allow this strange yet you can buy euro millions and I can remember when big syndicates from abroad use to buy tickets for the lotto


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

But you can buy and collect the winnings while in prison......?????

Funy old world.

Ray.


----------



## 90725 (May 1, 2005)

A similar thing happened to me with my Premium Bonds when I moved to the US. When I wrote to give change of address, I received a very stern letter telling me that I had to sell them.


----------

