UK prize draw operator Elite Competitions has appointed former Bet365 compliance specialist Peter Lynas as its new head of compliance, strengthening its regulatory expertise as the business prepares for substantial growth.
Lynas joined Elite Competitions in July 2026 after spending almost five years with Bet365, where his responsibilities included managing the operator’s GLI-33 certification programme. His work involved business reviews, testing and ongoing certification processes connected with standards used across regulated sports betting markets in the United States.
Elite Competitions plans to use that experience to reinforce its internal compliance framework as the company expands. The operator is forecasting approximately 60% year-on-year growth during the next three years and expects revenue to reach £100 million in 2026.
The appointment comes during a period of rapid development for Britain’s prize draw industry. Government research has valued the sector at around £1.3 billion annually, with approximately 7.4 million adults participating and more than 400 operators active in the market.
Elite Competitions, founded in 2016, says it has distributed more than £129 million in prizes and recorded over 13 million winners across its competitions.
Compliance requirements across the sector are also becoming more prominent. A voluntary government code for prize draw operators came into effect in May 2026, introducing standards covering areas including customer protection, spending controls, marketing, prize fulfilment and temporary account suspensions. Elite Competitions is among the businesses signed up to the framework.
Prize draws offering a genuine free-entry route can operate outside Gambling Act licensing requirements, meaning they do not currently need a Gambling Commission licence when structured within the relevant legal exemptions. However, operators remain responsible for ensuring their competitions comply with applicable rules.
Tax treatment has become another major issue. HMRC has confirmed that paid entries to prize draws offering both paid and free routes are subject to the standard 20% VAT rate, increasing financial and compliance pressure across the sector.
Against that backdrop, Elite Competitions’ recruitment of a senior executive from one of the UK’s largest regulated betting operators reflects the growing emphasis on governance and consumer protection as the prize draw market develops.