William III, 1698: An Act for suppressing of Lotteries. [Chapter XXIII. Rot. Parl. 10 Gul. III. p. 4. n.8.]

(fn. 1) Reasons for passing this Act.

Lotteries declared Public Nuisances, and Grants, &c. for the same void.

Whereas severall evill-disposed Persons for divers Yeares last past have sett up many mischievous and unlawfull Games called Lotteries not only in the Cities of London and Westminster and in the Suburbs thereof and Places adjoyning but in most of the eminent Townes and Places in England and in the Dominion of Wales have thereby most unjustly and fraudulently gott to themselves great Sums of Money from the Children and Servants of severall Gentlemen Traders and Merchants and from other unwary Persons to the utter Ruine and Impoverishment of many Families and to the Reproch of the English Laws and Government by Colour of severall Patents or Grants under the Great Seale of England for the said Lotteries or some of them which said Grants or Patents are against the Common Good Trade Welfare and Peace of His Majesties Kingdoms for Remedy whereof Be it enacted adjudged and declared and it is hereby enacted adjudged and declared by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That all such Lotteries and all other Lotteries are common and publick Nusances and that all Grants Patents and Licences for such Lotteries or any other Lotteries are void and against Law.

II. After 29th Dec. 1699, no Person publicly or privately to keep open, &c. Lotteries.

Penalty £500.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the Nyne and twentieth Day of December which shall be in the Yeare of our Lord God One thousand six hundred ninety nine no Person or Persons whatsoever shall publickly or privately exercise keep open show or expose to be plaid at drawne at or throwne at or shall draw play or throw at any such Lottery or any other Lottery either by Dice Lotts Cards Balls or any other Numbers or Figures or any other Way whatsoever And that every Person or Persons that shall after the said Nine and twentieth Day of December exercise expose open or show to be plaid throwne or drawne at any such Lottery Play or Device or other Lottery shall forfeite for every such Offence the Sum of Five hundred Pounds to be recovered by Information Bill Plaint or Action at Law in any of His Majesties Courts at Westminster wherein no Essoigne Wager of Law nor any more than one Imparlance shall be allowed one Third part thereof to the Use of His Majesty His Heires and Successors one other Third part thereof to the Use of the Poor of the Parish where such Offence shall be committed and the other Third part thereof together with double. Costs to the Party that shall informe and sue for the same and the said Parties so offending shall likewise be prosecuted as Common Rogues according to the Statutes in that Case made and provided.

III. Persons drawing, &c. at Lotteries,

Penalty £20.

And be it further enacted That every Person or Persons that after the said Nine and twentieth Day of December shall play throw or draw at any such Lottery Play or Device or other Lotteries shall forfeite for every such Offence the Sum of Twenty Pounds to be recovered by Information Bill Plaint or Action at Law in any of His Majesties Courts at Westminster wherein no Essoigne Wager of Law nor any more than one Imparlance shall be allowed one Third part thereof to the Use of His Majesty His Heires and Successors one other Third part thereof to the Use of the Poor of the Parish where such Offence shall be committed and the other Third part thereof together with double Costs to the Party that shall informe and sue for the same.

IV. Proviso for the Remainder of the Term in the Royal Oak Lottery.

Provided neverthelesse That nothing in this Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to affect or to enforce the suppressing of a Lottery commonly called the Royall Oake Lottery for the Remainder only of the Terme for which it now stands granted by Letters Patents under the Great Seale of England Any thing herein before contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

V. Proviso for the Charitable Adventure, for the Benefit of Greenwich Hospital.

Provided alsoe That nothing in this Act contained shall extend to affect restraine or prejudice the Undertaking now in being called The Charitable Adventure for the Benefit of Greenwich Hospitall by the present Undertakers thereof with the Approbation of the Governors and Commissioners appointed for the Management of the said Hospitall for any time before the Four and twentieth Day of June One thousand seaven hundred.