What Is a Tricky Tray (Chinese Auction)? Your 2026 UK Guide

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Think of an event where the suspense of a raffle meets the excitement of an auction. That is the appeal of a tricky tray, Chinese auction or penny social. This format offers UK charities a fresh way to engage donors and raise money at fetes, gala dinners and village-hall evenings. Our guide covers the official UK rules, step-by-step planning, prize ideas and best practices for running a successful event.

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In this article:

• What is a tricky tray (also known as a Chinese auction or penny social)?

• Tricky tray rules: how the format works in the UK

• Tricky tray vs silent auction vs raffle

• UK legal considerations for tricky trays and prize draws

• Chinese auction variations

• How does a tricky tray work?

• 6 steps for organising a tricky tray fundraiser

• Best practices for running a tricky tray fundraiser

• How UK charities use Zeffy for tricky trays

• Frequently asked questions

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What is a tricky tray (also known as a Chinese auction or penny social)?

A tricky tray, penny social or Chinese auction is a community fundraising format that combines elements of a raffle and a silent auction. Participants buy strips of tickets, then drop them into bowls placed in front of the prizes they want to win. At the end of the evening (or at scheduled intervals), a winning ticket is drawn from each bowl.

What UK fundraisers call it: in the UK community-fundraising world, 'tricky tray' and 'prize draw' are the most common terms. You will also hear 'penny social', 'chance auction' and 'pick-a-prize'. 'Chinese auction' is widely understood but largely retired in UK charity copy for the reasons set out below. For legal purposes, the format is a lottery under the Gambling Act 2005 when tickets are sold in advance or beyond the event itself, or an incidental non-commercial lottery when the whole draw takes place at a single event with tickets sold only on the night. Getting this right before you sell your first ticket is the most important planning step.

This format encourages active participation and allows attendees to focus their tickets on the prizes they most want to win. The sense of anticipation as winners are revealed makes it a consistently popular choice for PTAs, village halls, churches, sports clubs and small to mid-sized charities.

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Origin of the phrase: why is it no longer called a Chinese auction?

While tricky trays were initially known as Chinese auctions, the format has nothing to do with Chinese culture. The term originated from an offensive 19th-century slur equating 'Chinese' with cheap or inferior. During that era, many Chinese immigrants faced discrimination and unfair wages, and the label was applied derogatorily to inexpensive prize events. Organisations now opt for respectful alternatives, such as:

• Penny socials

• Tricky tray raffles

• Pick-a-prize events

• Chance auctions

• Lucky number dinners

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Tricky tray rules: how the format works in the UK

Before you start selling tickets or setting up prize tables, you need to understand the rules that govern a tricky tray. Getting the details right keeps things fair, enjoyable and legally sound, and it prevents disputes that can sour an otherwise excellent event.

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Ticket denominations and purchasing

Most tricky trays use a tiered ticket system. Common structures include:

• £1 a ticket, £5 for six tickets, or £20 for a strip of 25

• Strip tickets (pre-perforated sheets) that guests tear apart and drop individually into bowls

• An optional maximum ticket purchase limit per person, which keeps competition balanced and prizes accessible to all guests

There is no universal rule on denominations. You set them based on your audience and prize values. Higher-value prizes often warrant a separate, higher-denomination ticket, for example a £5 ticket specifically for a holiday package, which you can run as a parallel draw alongside the main event.

Important: for a small society lottery, all tickets within a single lottery must be sold at the same price. You can run separate ticket tiers for distinct prize pools, but tickets within one pool must be uniformly priced.

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Ticket placement rules

Each guest keeps one half of their ticket stub and drops the other half into a bowl or container placed in front of the prize they want to win. Communicate these rules clearly at the start of the event:

• Guests may place as many tickets as they want into any bowl, including splitting tickets across multiple prizes

• Tickets must be placed before the designated cut-off time, typically announced 15 to 30 minutes before the drawing

• Once a ticket is placed in a bowl, it cannot be moved or retrieved

• Guests should write their name or contact details on ticket stubs to avoid disputes during winner notification

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The drawing procedure

At the end of the event, or at scheduled intervals throughout, a neutral party draws one ticket from each prize bowl. That person should ideally not be participating in the draw themselves. Best practices include:

• Mixing the bowl thoroughly before drawing

• Having a volunteer or emcee announce each winner publicly

• Verifying the winner's matching stub before awarding the prize

• Moving unclaimed prizes to a secondary drawing if the winner cannot be located within a reasonable window, typically 10 to 15 minutes

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What happens in a tie

Because each ticket stub is unique, true ties are mathematically impossible in a standard tricky tray. Only one ticket is drawn per prize. However, if a stub is lost or unreadable, organisers should have a documented contingency: re-draw from the bowl, or hold the prize until the issue is resolved. Establishing this policy in writing before the event prevents disputes on the night.

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Age restrictions

For a small society lottery, tickets cannot be sold to or by anyone under 16 (Gambling Act 2005). For an incidental non-commercial lottery held entirely at an event, tickets may be sold to children at the event itself. Always confirm the applicable rules with your local licensing authority before setting your policy.

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Small society lottery vs incidental lottery: which one are you running?

This is the most commonly overlooked rule in UK tricky tray planning. The answer shapes everything from whether you need to register to what you can charge for prizes.

Selling tickets in advance, online, or beyond a single event = small society lottery.

Register with your local council (the licensing authority) before selling any tickets.

Selling tickets only at the event, on the night = incidental non-commercial lottery.

No registration required, but strict caps apply.

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Sources: Gambling Commission, small society lotteries and Gambling Commission, lotteries at events.

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Tricky tray vs silent auction vs raffle

Donors and organisers often confuse these three formats. They share surface similarities, such as prizes, competition and excitement, but the mechanics differ meaningfully. Knowing the distinctions helps you choose the right format for your audience and fundraising goal.

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The tricky tray format sits in a sweet spot. It is more engaging than a standard raffle because donors feel invested in specific prizes. It is more accessible than a silent auction because the entry cost is low: anyone can drop in a £1 ticket and have a real shot at winning. That combination makes it particularly effective for community-based charities running annual fundraising events.

One practical note: if you plan to run both a silent auction and a tricky tray at the same event, keep the two formats physically separate and clearly labelled. Mixing them causes confusion about bidding rules and can slow down your drawing.

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UK legal considerations for tricky trays and prize draws

Running a tricky tray without the right permissions is one of the fastest ways to turn a successful fundraiser into a legal problem. Because the format involves paid tickets and a chance-based drawing, the Gambling Commission regulates it as a lottery under the Gambling Act 2005.

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Which category applies

The first question is whether your draw is a small society lottery or an incidental non-commercial lottery. The table in the rules section above sets out the key differences. In short: if any ticket is sold before the event, sold online, or sold at a location other than the event venue, you need to register as a small society lottery. If the whole draw takes place at a single event with tickets sold only on the night, you run it as an incidental lottery with no registration required.

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How to register a small society lottery

To register, contact your local licensing authority, which is your local council. You can find your local council at gov.uk/find-local-council. Registration costs £40 initially and £20 for each annual renewal. Allow at least four to six weeks for processing before your event date.

Your promoting society must be a non-commercial society formed wholly or mainly for purposes other than private gain. Registered charities (Charity Commission for England and Wales, OSCR for Scotland, CCNI for Northern Ireland) qualify automatically. Community groups, PTAs, sports clubs and unincorporated associations can also qualify if their purposes are not for private profit.

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The caps and rules

Once registered, your small society lottery must comply with these statutory limits (Gambling Commission):

• Maximum ticket sales per single lottery: £20,000

• Annual aggregate across all your lotteries: £250,000

• Maximum single prize: £25,000

• Minimum percentage of proceeds to the good cause: 20%

• Minimum age to purchase tickets: 16

Every ticket must display the name of the promoting society, the price of the ticket, the name and address of the promoter (or External Lottery Manager), and the date of the draw. Ensure these details are printed on your tickets before the event.

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Post-draw return

Within three months of the draw, submit a return to your local licensing authority showing the number of tickets sold, the proceeds received, the prizes awarded and the amount applied to the good cause. Keep records in case of audit.

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Gift Aid and tricky tray tickets

Gift Aid does not apply to raffle, tricky tray or prize-draw ticket purchases. When someone buys a ticket, they receive a chance to win, which HMRC treats as payment for goods or services rather than a charitable gift. Applying Gift Aid to ticket sales is incorrect and could result in a clawback from HMRC.

Gift Aid can still apply to a separately-marked voluntary donation made on the same night. If a supporter makes an unconditional donation at your event, for example via a donation bucket or a tap-to-pay point clearly labelled as a voluntary gift, that donation is Gift Aid eligible from a UK taxpayer who has signed a valid Gift Aid declaration.

If you collect small cash or contactless donations of £30 or less at the event, you may also be able to claim a 25% top-up under the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS), subject to eligibility. See HMRC's GASDS guidance and the Charity Tax Group for the technical detail.

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Running your draw online: what changes

If you sell tickets online or run a remote draw, you are operating a remote lottery. The Gambling Commission imposes additional display and disclosure requirements on remote lotteries. Larger online lotteries that exceed the small society lottery thresholds require an operating licence from the Gambling Commission rather than council registration alone. Review the Gambling Commission's guidance before launching any online ticket sales beyond your event registration platform.

Collecting ticket-holder names and contact details also brings UK GDPR and PECR obligations. You need a lawful basis for processing personal data, and if you intend to contact ticket buyers after the event for future fundraising, you must have either their consent or a valid legitimate-interest basis. The Fundraising Regulator's Code of Fundraising Practice (effective 1 November 2025) sets the standards for fair and transparent fundraising, including data handling.

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Scotland and Northern Ireland

The Gambling Act 2005 small society lottery scheme applies in England, Scotland and Wales. Charities operating in Scotland register with their local licensing board under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982; OSCR is the charity regulator. Northern Ireland has separate gambling legislation under the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. If your charity or community group is based in or operates in Northern Ireland, check the position with your local council and CCNI before running a public draw.

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Compliance tips

• Register with your local council before selling any tickets for a society lottery

• Print all statutory disclosures on every ticket (society name, ticket price, promoter name and address, draw date)

• Keep a full written record of ticket sales, prize values and proceeds

• Document your drawing procedure and designate a neutral drawing official before the event

• File your return within three months of the draw

Getting compliance right protects your organisation's reputation and its ability to fundraise in future years.

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Chinese auction variations

The classic tricky tray format is just the starting point. Many charities put their own spin on the format to match their audience, increase revenue or adapt to different event settings.

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Themed tricky trays

One of the most popular variations is organising your entire event around a theme and building prize baskets to match. A 'Night in Italy' event might feature baskets filled with wine, pasta-making kits and restaurant gift cards. In the UK, some reliably popular themes include:

• 'Sunday Roast for Two': a local butcher voucher, a bottle of wine, a bakery loaf

• 'Afternoon Tea': a National Trust café voucher or hotel afternoon tea for two, local preserves, shortbread

• 'Great British Garden': an RHS gift card, a garden centre voucher, a packet of heritage seeds

Themed events are easier to promote and tend to generate stronger word of mouth because they feel like a cohesive experience rather than a table of random items. Theming also makes procurement easier: when you ask a local business for a donation, a specific theme gives them a clear brief.

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Virtual and online Chinese auctions

Virtual tricky trays have remained popular because they remove geographical barriers. Online participants purchase tickets through a platform, indicate which prizes they want to enter, and a live-streamed drawing reveals winners in real time.

Running a virtual version works best when you keep the prize list focused (fewer items, higher individual value) and invest in a smooth live stream with a confident host. Shipping logistics for physical prizes add complexity, so consider digital and experience-based prizes (gift cards, subscriptions, event tickets, service vouchers) for online events.

Note: if you sell tickets online, you are running a remote lottery and must be registered as a small society lottery. Online ticket sales are not permitted under the incidental non-commercial lottery route.

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Hybrid formats

A hybrid event combines an in-person tricky tray with an online ticket-selling component, so supporters who cannot attend in person can still take part. In-person guests pick up physical tickets at the door, while online participants purchase tickets through a link and have their stubs entered into the relevant bowls by a volunteer on-site. Winners are announced via live stream and contacted personally.

Hybrid events can significantly increase your reach and total ticket revenue, but they require more co-ordination. Assign a dedicated volunteer to manage the online ticket pool and communicate with remote winners promptly.

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Multi-round drawings

Instead of a single drawing at the end of the evening, multi-round formats hold drawings at scheduled intervals, for example every 30 minutes. This keeps energy high throughout the event, gives early winners a reason to stay and creates natural moments for your emcee to re-engage the crowd with your mission.

A practical approach: designate the first few rounds for mid-tier prizes and save the biggest items for the final drawing. It gives latecomers a full shot at the top prizes while rewarding early arrivals with earlier wins.

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High-ticket parallel draws

For premium prizes that might get overlooked in a sea of £1 tickets, run a separate higher-denomination ticket draw in parallel. A holiday package, a piece of original art or a premium tech item might use £10 or £25 tickets sold separately. This preserves the accessibility of the main tricky tray while creating a higher-stakes parallel game that appeals to supporters with more to spend.

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How does a tricky tray work?

Here is a breakdown of how these lottery-style fundraisers operate:

• Ticket purchase: Guests buy tickets for the draw. There are no rules on how many tickets a single person can buy, unless your organisation sets a limit.

• Prize display: Guests explore all the prize items, which are displayed on tables much like a silent auction. These can include experiences, products, raffle baskets and other items.

• Bidding process: To enter for a prize, guests drop their ticket stubs into the bowl in front of their chosen item. They may spread their tickets across multiple prizes or concentrate them on one.

• Winner selection: Once the bidding period ends, the emcee draws a winning ticket from each bowl and announces the winner.

• Prize collection: Winning guests collect their prizes immediately or, for larger events combined with other fundraising activities, later in the evening.

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6 steps for organising a tricky tray fundraiser

1. Set a fundraising goal and budget

Begin with a clear, achievable fundraising target. Consider your specific needs, required funding and timeline. For example, you might aim to raise £8,000 to refurbish the village hall kitchen over one summer season, or £5,000 towards a school minibus deposit.

Next, create a detailed budget. Account for venue costs, marketing expenses, supplies, decorations and ticket-printing costs. If your charity uses Zeffy's free online raffle and ticketing platform, trusted by 100,000+ charities and used to raise over £2 billion for good causes, there are no platform fees to factor in.

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2. Assemble an auction committee

Tricky trays require all hands on deck. Creating an event team ensures that no single person is overloaded with responsibilities.

Appoint one event co-ordinator to lead the planning and execution process. You will also need these key roles:

• Procurement: one to three people to solicit items from donors and local businesses

• Logistics: one to four people to handle the venue, invitations, catering and setup

• Marketing: one to three people to promote your event and sell tickets

• Emcee: someone with a warm personality who can host the event and keep guests engaged

• Volunteers: five to six people to help on the day with setup, check-in, check-out and the draw itself

Ask your staff and trustees whether they can contribute prizes or connect you with potential sponsors.

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3. Select a venue

Once you have decided on the date and time, start looking for your venue. Key factors to consider:

• Capacity and facilities: estimate a guest count and ensure the venue comfortably accommodates all attendees with essential facilities including accessible toilets

• Location and parking: choose a location easily accessible to attendees with ample parking

• Layout and ambiance: ensure the layout allows for clear prize-table display and smooth guest flow

• Cost and availability: confirm the venue is available on your preferred date and fits your budget

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4. Decide your prize items

Prize items will draw people to your fundraiser and encourage them to purchase multiple tickets. Aim for one or more high-value prizes, such as a short-break experience or new technology, plus a range of smaller items.

Ways to source prize donations:

• Reach out to local shops, restaurants, salons and garden centres for in-kind donations or gift cards

• Contact businesses that donate to charities to request sponsorship

• Ask volunteers to reach out to their own networks to secure donations

• Ask your staff and trustees whether they can contribute or connect you with sponsors

• Consider premium gift experiences such as RHS memberships, National Trust gift cards, or Buyagift and Red Letter Days vouchers as reliable procurement wins

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Popular prize items for UK tricky tray events include:

• Gift baskets designed around a theme

• Experience-day vouchers (spa days, cookery classes, afternoons at a local attraction)

• Holiday packages or short-break gift cards

• Lessons or personal training certificates

• Gift cards from local businesses

• Gourmet food and drink hampers

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5. Promote your tricky tray event

Use multiple marketing channels to maximise participation. UK community fundraisers tend to see the strongest results from:

• E-newsletter and email campaigns: include a section about your event in your monthly newsletter and send a dedicated campaign in the lead-up. Under PECR, ensure you have an appropriate lawful basis (consent or the charity soft opt-in) before emailing supporters who have not opted in.

• Social media: post early and regularly on your organisation's accounts. Local Facebook community groups are particularly effective for village- and town-level events in the UK.

• Nextdoor and local community platforms: free to use and highly targeted for community events.

• Parish magazines and local press: your borough or county paper, community newsletters, church bulletins and local Rotary or WI newsletters often publish free event listings.

• Village hall noticeboards and community centre boards: still highly effective for local audiences.

• Local BBC radio community slots: many BBC local radio stations publicise charity events at no cost. Contact your local station's community affairs team.

• Post: include a RSVP card and a QR code linking to your online sign-up page in any postal communications.

Help us reach our target: share the event link in every community group you belong to, and ask your trustees and volunteers to do the same.

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6. Sell admission or raffle tickets

Offer multiple purchase options, including online pre-sales, at the door and through your supporters' networks. Tiered ticket packages help cater to different budgets.

Important: if you are running the draw as an incidental lottery entirely at the event, tickets may only be sold at the venue during the event itself. No online or advance sales are permitted under this route. If you want to sell tickets in advance or online, register as a small society lottery with your local council first.

Zeffy can handle your event admission tickets online for free, and provides a tap-to-pay option for raffle ticket stubs sold at the door, all with no platform fee.

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Best practices for running a tricky tray fundraiser

1. Announce ticket-bowl volume through the night

Periodically let attendees know which prize bowls are filling up quickly. Saying 'the hamper table is proving very popular tonight' creates genuine urgency and prompts guests who have not yet placed their tickets to act. This is more accurate than announcing 'leading bids' (a silent-auction term) because there are no bids in a tricky tray.

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2. Create ticket packages

Offer different ticket packages in tiers to accommodate varying budgets. For example: a standard entry strip of 10 tickets, a mid-level bundle of 25 tickets, and a bumper bundle of 50 tickets at a slight discount. Making ticket packages visible and easy to understand at the door or online increases average spend per guest.

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3. Host additional fundraising activities

Consider making the tricky tray part of a larger event such as a gala dinner, quiz night or charity auction. This approach enhances the overall experience, attracts a wider audience and creates multiple ways for attendees to contribute.

The tricky tray format pairs especially well with UK fundraising calendar moments:

• A summer fete (plant stall, refreshments and a tricky tray)

• A Christmas fair or festive dinner

• A Macmillan Coffee Morning with a small prize draw

• A Children in Need evening with themed baskets

• A quiz night with tricky tray prizes as the grand finale

Combining formats means supporters who do not win a prize still have other ways to give.

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4. Mingle with your guests

Spend time with your guests before the draw starts or as they browse the prize tables. This helps you build relationships with potential new supporters and deepen ties with existing donors. A warm conversation about your charity's work is often the strongest ask of the evening.

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5. Set up a contactless giving point

Set up one or two giving points at the venue. While some guests still carry cash, contactless giving is increasingly the default for UK community events. A tap-to-pay option, whether via a phone, a SumUp or Zettle card reader, or a QR code to your online donation page, removes the friction for spontaneous giving.

If your charity is HMRC-recognised and you collect contactless or cash donations of £30 or less, you may be eligible to claim a 25% top-up under the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS), up to £8,000 in eligible donations per tax year. Label your donation point clearly as a voluntary gift, separate from the tricky tray ticket price, so the donation qualifies for Gift Aid rather than being treated as part of the ticket purchase.

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How UK charities use Zeffy for tricky trays

For many small UK charities, running a tricky tray currently means stitching together multiple tools: one platform for event admission tickets, another for the raffle, a donation page for the giving ask, and a spreadsheet to track supporters afterwards. Each tool charges its own fee.

Zeffy consolidates that stack. UK charities can manage event ticketing, raffle and lottery ticket sales, a donation page and supporter management all in one free platform, with no platform fee, no transaction fee and no card fee. Every pound raised stays with your cause.

A few things Zeffy does not do: it does not handle Gambling Commission licensing, council registration or Gift Aid claims on your behalf. Those remain your charity's responsibility. What Zeffy removes is the cost and complexity of running the technology side of your event.

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Frequently asked questions

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