By Phillip Gerrish, Marketing Services Manager | October 2025 |
Meta has announced a paid, ad-free subscription option for Facebook and Instagram users in the UK. It’s a major change for these platforms which have long relied on advertising as their core business model. Could it quietly reshape how charities promote their lotteries online?
For years, social media advertising has been one of the most efficient ways for charities to reach potential supporters. The ability to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviours has made Facebook Ads particularly powerful for lottery acquisition campaigns. But as users are given the choice to pay for an ad-free experience, that landscape is set to evolve.
A Shrinking Advertising Pool
With the new subscription, users who opt for the paid, ad-free experience will effectively disappear from Meta’s advertising network. They won’t see sponsored posts or lottery promotions, and their data won’t be used for targeting.
In the short term, this won’t cause a dramatic drop in campaign performance. Most users are likely to stay on the free, ad-supported tier. However, even a modest decline in targetable audiences can raise competition and ad costs, particularly among demographics concerned about advertisers using their data and who are willing to pay the subscription fee.
For charity lotteries depending on Facebook Ads for player acquisition, it’s a signal to diversify marketing channels and avoid over-reliance on Meta’s ecosystem.
Shifting Toward Community-Driven Engagement
Charities will need to lean more heavily on organic and community-driven growth. Building deeper connections with supporters through authentic storytelling, behind-the-scenes content, and user-generated posts, highlighting the real-world impact of their lottery.
People trust people. Content shared by genuine players or ambassadors often performs better than traditional ads. In this new landscape, authenticity may outperform algorithms.
A New Focus on Transparency and Trust
Meta’s move is largely a response to growing regulatory pressure around data privacy in the UK and EU. For charities, that’s a timely reminder that trust and transparency are not optional in digital fundraising.
Supporters are becoming more selective about how their data is used. Clear communication about privacy, ethical data practices, and the social value of lottery participation will strengthen brand credibility and make marketing more resilient in the long run.
Looking Ahead
Meta’s ad-free subscription isn’t the end of charity advertising on Facebook. Far from it. But it’s a clear sign that the digital landscape is shifting. Charities that invest in multi-channel acquisition, rich supporter storytelling, and ethical data use will be best placed to adapt.
The future of charity lotteries will belong to those who build real connections, not just targeted audiences and shiny, call-to-action focussed advertisements.
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About Sterling Lotteries
Sterling Lotteries partners with over 800 charities, providing leading prize-led expertise through responsible, innovative, and engaging weekly lotteries and raffles.
We power seamless player experiences, compliance peace of mind, and support charities running creative campaigns that bring prize-led fundraising to life.
www.sterlinglotteries.co.uk
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