Fake Lottery Scam: How to Spot One and Verify an Operator

Fake lottery scam: how to check an operator with its regulator, spot the warning signs and know where to report fraud.

On October 2, 2026, the Dutch gambling authority, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), revoked a lottery licence that had been obtained by fraud. An unidentified person posed as the chairman of the Quick Boys football club, in Katwijk, when applying for the licence, then opened eight websites selling fake tickets. This fake lottery scam relied on a licence the KSA really had issued: a scam can display a licence that looks perfectly in order. The best protection is still simple: no legitimate lottery asks you to pay to collect a prize. This article explains what the KSA found, then how to check that a lottery is official, which warning signs to look for and where to report a scam.

What the KSA found on October 2, 2026

According to the specialist press and the KSA press release, the facts are as follows:

• the licence was obtained by impersonating the chairman of Quick Boys during the application procedure;
• the licence was used to launch eight websites selling fake lottery tickets, including loterij.quickboys.nl, loterijenqb.com and topsloterij.com;
• the club never applied for a lottery licence: it is itself a victim of identity theft;
• the KSA asks people not to enter personal data or bank details on these sites.

The KSA's director of licensing, Ella Seijsener, said that consumers must be able to rely on a KSA licence and that deception of the application procedure is taken very seriously. The authority immediately tightened its identity checks on applicants and its checks of domain names against its public register, the Kansspelwijzer.

A note on method: the sources say nothing about who committed the fraud, and neither do we. What matters for a player is the lesson: a domain name that evokes a well-known institution, or even a displayed licence, is no substitute for checking with the regulator.

How to check that a lottery is official

Always check with the regulator in the relevant country, not on the site that is approaching you. Type the regulator's address yourself, without using a link you were sent.

• France: all legal lottery operators are regulated by the ANJ (Autorité nationale des jeux), an independent authority that reports to Parliament. Its website lets you check that an operator is legitimate.
• United Kingdom: a lottery operator must hold a licence from the Gambling Commission, which publishes a public register of licensed gambling businesses.
• Spain: according to the DGOJ, the gambling regulator, only two entities are authorised to run the State lotteries on a non-occasional basis, SELAE and ONCE. Both take part in the Phishing Alert anti-fraud service.

In the Netherlands, the Quick Boys case is a reminder that a licence can itself have been obtained fraudulently. That is why cross-checking matters: the licence, the exact address of the site, and whether you chose to play yourself.

The warning signs documented by regulators

The UK Gambling Commission publishes a list. Here are the main signs:

• you are asked to send money abroad, or to call an international or premium-rate number;
• payment goes through an insecure method, or to an individual rather than an official operator;
• the emails contain spelling mistakes and inconsistencies, or a mobile phone number;
• the sender uses a personal email address: a legitimate lottery does not;
• the message promises to "change your life" or says you are "one step away from a huge win". This language presents gambling as a solution to financial difficulties, which the Gambling Commission prohibits in advertising in the UK;
• you are contacted about a lottery you did not enter.

That last point is the clearest: if you did not play, you did not win. A message announcing a prize in a lottery you did not enter is fraudulent.

Other habits: do not click the links in an email, type the website address yourself and check that it starts with "https". If the lottery claims to raise money for a charity, contact that charity directly.

Never pay to claim a prize

No legitimate lottery asks for fees before handing over a prize: no taxes, no administration fees, no customs, insurance or shipping charges.

If you are asked for money to "release" a prize, it is a sign of a scam, however good the message or the logo looks.

If in doubt: what to do and where to report

1. Do not reply, do not pay anything, and do not share any personal or banking data.
2. Check the operator with the regulator in its country, as explained above.
3. Report the fraud:

• France: to the ANJ, or to the DGCCRF through the signal.conso.gouv.fr platform;
• United Kingdom: to Action Fraud for a scam; to the Gambling Commission or the local authority for an illegal lottery;
• Spain: to the DGOJ, by written complaint, on paper or online. The DGOJ can open an investigation, then sanction proceedings if the facts are confirmed.

If you play with others, the same caution applies: playing with a group safely means knowing who holds the tickets and which operator they are bought from.

The takeaway

The Quick Boys case shows that a logo, a club name or even a displayed licence is not enough to prove a lottery is honest. Three habits protect you: check the operator with the regulator, never pay to claim a prize, and be wary of any prize announced for a lottery you did not enter. Draws remain random and a real prize is never unlocked by a payment: at the slightest doubt, stop and report it.

Playing the next draw? See whether your line looks like the most common picks: Analyze a line

Play for fun, and only spend what you can afford to lose. Responsible gambling support: in the US, call 1-800-GAMBLER (ncpgambling.org); in the UK, visit BeGambleAware.

Every valid combination has the same probability of being drawn. Wisenum does not predict winning numbers.