Legal pitfalls for remote workers entering Euro 2024 sweepstakes could lead to fines or jail

Euro 2024 sweepstakes could land remote office workers in hot water with the law, potentially facing hefty fines or even prison time.

The tournament kicks off in Munich on Friday evening, with hosts Germany squaring off against Scotland in the opening match. England's first game of the competition is set for Sunday night against Serbia.

Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate unveiled his squad last week, with notable absences including Manchester City's Jack Grealish, Manchester United's Marcus Rashford and Tottenham's James Maddison.

Newcomers to the tournament include Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Cole Palmer, Eberechi Eze, Kobbie Mainoo, Adam Wharton and Anthony Gordon. However, the Three Lions will sorely miss centre-back Harry Maguire, who has been sidelined due to a calf injury.

Many across the nation will be organising a sweepstake, a form of gambling where each participant pays a small entry fee and is assigned a competitor before the tournament begins.

Sweepstakes are popular during events such as the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in horse racing, the World Cup/Euros, and even Wimbledon, with a large number of competitors participating in each event.

If a person's chosen team triumphs in the event, they'll bag their prize, typically a portion of the money raised by everyone's involvement. Most adults will have joined in at some point, but many won't realise that this seemingly innocent activity could be against the law.

Felix Faulkner, a solicitor at gambling licensing firm Poppleston Allen, warns that remote workers could land themselves in hot water if they join in this summer, thanks to the Gambling Act 2005. Launched in April that year, it shifted the responsibility for licensing gambling from magistrates' courts to local authorities (specifically unitary authorities, and the councils of metropolitan borough, non-metropolitan district and London boroughs) and also established the Gambling Commission - the UK government's gambling watchdog.

In essence, the draw must take place in person at the business premises, not online or across multiple offices. So, if you're working from home, you should steer clear unless you're prepared and able to pop into the office in-person to participate, in line with the Gambling Commission's guidelines on the rules around fundraising, raffles and lotteries.

A spokesperson from Poppleston Allen gravely warned, "Ultimately, it is a criminal offence to run an illegal lottery and you could face prosecution. The maximum punishment for breaches is 51 weeks in prison or a £5,000 fine."