Guide for Charitable Gaming Licensees using iAGCO

Organizations seeking charitable gaming licences from the AGCO or with active AGCO charitable gaming licences must conduct all their AGCO-related transactions online through the iAGCO web-based portal.

The AGCO issues lottery licences in accordance with the framework set out in the Criminal Code (Canada) and Order in Council 208/2024. Under the Gaming Control Act, 1992, the AGCO is responsible for registering suppliers who provide goods and services to lottery licensees. The AGCO also assesses electronic gaming equipment to ensure that it meets the Registrar's Standards.

The current regulatory framework is based on six key elements:

1. Criminal Code  (Canada)
2. Gaming Control Act, 1992  and its Regulations
3. Order-in-Council 208/2024
4. Terms and conditions
5. Standards and Directives issued by the Registrar
6. Lottery Licensing Policy Manual, together with all updates and information bulletins.

Note: this guide only apply to licences issued by the AGCO and do not impact licences issued by municipalities and First Nations. See details below.

• The AGCO is responsible for regulating and overseeing licensed lottery events conducted by eligible charitable and religious organizations to raise funds to support charitable purposes.
  • This responsibility is shared with municipalities and First Nations with an Order-In-Council.
    • Certain licences are issued at municipal level while others are issued by the AGCO.
• This includes bingo, raffles and the sale of break open tickets. 

Bazaar Licences and Blanket Raffle Licences

The AGCO no longer issues Bazaar licences or Blanket Raffle licences. Organizations seeking to run such events who cannot be licensed by a municipality may instead apply to the AGCO for a combination of Bingo Event, Raffle or Social Occasion Gaming licences, depending on their requirements.

Lottery Licensing Policy Manual

The Registrar publishes a Lottery Licensing Policy Manual (LLPM) which is used to:

• determine eligibility for a lottery licence and the uses of proceeds from charitable gaming.
• ensure lottery licences are issued and administered on a consistent basis throughout the province. 
• communicate changes in the Registrar’s policies and in the regulatory structures for lottery licensing.

Fees and Payment

For applicable fees, see the AGCO Charitable Gaming Fees page.

When using online services, all payments up to $30,000 must be made by Visa, MasterCard, Visa Debit, MasterCard Debit or pre-paid Visa or MasterCard. 

Payments of $30,000 or more must be made by money wire transfer or electronic funds transfer. Please note that cheques, cash and money orders are not accepted.

All fees must be submitted at time of application and are non-refundable.

Important Information

• Do not misrepresent or omit any material fact(s). Each statement made on your application is subject to verification.
• It is a serious offence to knowingly provide false information on the forms or on any attachments.
• Providing false, incomplete, or misleading information or omitting information on the forms or in the documents submitted with your application, or failing to notify the AGCO of any material changes to this information which occur after an application is filed, may also result in the refusal, suspension or revocation of your lottery licence.
• In iAGCO, you must select your licence type and submit all required information and documents. Sample documents are available for you download and complete. Some documents may require a signature.

Lottery Trust Account Information 

You must have a Lottery Trust Account and provide balances in your Post-Event Reports but you are not required to provide your Lottery Trust Account information, such as financial institution or account number, unless requested by the AGCO.

Conditions

The Registrar may attach one or more conditions to your licence to help you minimize risks identified during the assessment process.
You may apply to remove and/or add conditions on your licence if there has been a change in circumstances.
 

Access Codes

Before Creating Your Account: One-Time Access Codes (for Returning Licensees Only)

Organizations that have an active or expired AGCO charitable gaming licence will need to obtain a one-time access code to link their iAGCO account to information already on file with the AGCO.

Please call AGCO Customer Service at 416-326-8700 or 1-800-522-2876 Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET to obtain your access code before creating your account. Be prepared to provide information to the Customer Service Agent to verify your identity, such as full name and address of the legal entity you are applying on behalf of.

You can then create an iAGCO account and use the access code to link your new account to your organization’s information already on file with the AGCO.

Determine which licensing authority you need to apply to

The licensing authority you go to depends on where the event will be located, the expected prize amount, and the type of lottery. Learn more about where to get a lottery licence.

Charitable Gaming Eligibility Number

Before a charity or non-profit organization can apply for most Charitable Gaming Lottery Licence types with the AGCO, they must complete, submit and be issued a CGE number.

A CGE application determines whether an organization is eligible for lottery licensing with the AGCO.

Once the AGCO has reviewed your application and confirmed your eligibility, you will receive a CGE number. The CGE number replaces your Group Identification Number (GIN).

Charities, non-profit organizations and service clubs require a CGE number to apply for a variety of lottery licences. A CGE number may have already been issued if your organization has undergone assessment for eligibility and is currently licensed or has been licensed by the AGCO. In these circumstances, an application for a CGE number is not required.

If you have a CGE number, you can find it while logged into your iAGCO account under Licences / Permits/ Authorizations/ Registrations on the Lottery and Gaming Dashboard.

Completing Forms and Uploading Documents

For support completing and uploading documents, see the iAGCO Support page.

We’re here to help

Speak to your AGCO Licensing and Eligibility Officer or email the Licensing Office at lotterylicensing@agco.ca. If you have any questions or would like to provide comments or feedback on the application process, please contact AGCO Customer Service. 

For details on how to apply in iAGCO for a charitable gaming lottery licence, view the Submitting charitable gaming lottery licence applications in iAGCO page.

Requesting Changes in iAGCO

As a charitable gaming licensee, you are required to inform the AGCO if your contact or application information changes, such as changes to the rules of play for specific events/games or event location.

To make a change to your charitable gaming licence, you must submit an Amendment in iAGCO.

To do so, under the Licences/ /Registrations tab of your Dashboard:

• Click on the File Number of the licence or registration you’d like to amend
• Click on the link to Submit a Change
• Select the type of change

Answer each question and provide any required documentation to complete the amendment request. 

The iAGCO support page also provides additional information that may help answer your questions. To make changes to your licence once it has been approved, see the Charitable Gaming-specific section of the iAGCO support page.

As a Charitable Gaming Licensee, you are required to submit a Post-Event Report Regulatory Submission online through your iAGCO account within the time limit specified in the terms and conditions of your licence.

You may be required to submit a Regulatory Submission following Charitable Gaming events on a monthly basis. There are two types of Regulatory Submissions available through your iAGCO online account: Post-Event Reports and Incident Reports.

• A Post-Event report records the financial outcome of your events. As a Charitable Gaming Licensee, you are required to submit this report through your iAGCO online account within the time limit specified in the terms and conditions of your licence.
• An Incident Report can be used to notify the AGCO of an incident of non-compliance, or to report changes or issues with technology solutions that took place at your Charitable Gaming event.

When making a Post-Event Report Regulatory Submission, you may be required to:

• Upload supporting documentation
• Provide annual financial reports
• Answer additional questions
• Pay fees calculated based on the event results you provided.

NOTE: If you made a mistake in your Post-Event Report Regulatory Submission, you can resubmit it by completing a new one and selecting yes when asked if this is a correction to a previously submitted report. Additional fees may be applied to resubmitted reports as a result of updated information. 

How to make a Regulatory Submission in iAGCO

1. Login to iAGCO . 
2. Navigate to the LICENCES/REGISTRATIONS tab in your dashboard and select the licence you are submitting a report for.
3. In the activities section select Submit a Regulatory Submission and/or Notification. The Submit option may not be available until the event has expired.
4. Select the appropriate Regulatory Submission Report. 
5. Complete the Contact Information. Click Next.
6. Complete the Report Information page. Be sure to fill in all fields marked with a red asterisk. Click Next.
7. Answer Yes or No to the questions on the following page and provide additional details in text boxes, if applicable.
8. On the Documents page, upload Required Documents as instructed. Drag and drop files, or click Upload. Click Next.
   
   Note:
   • Documents may be submitted in image formats.
   • Be sure to select the Document Type for each file once uploaded and attached to your application. 
9. Once you have uploaded your documents, click NEXT: 
   1. If there are errors or missing information in your application, an error message will prompt you to complete all steps before proceeding. All steps in the application should appear green (not grey).  Navigate back to any page as needed to correct errors or add information.  
   2. If there are no errors in your application, you will see a Declaration. Carefully review the declaration and check the box to declare that all information provided in the application is true and correct.
10. Congratulations! You’ve submitted your Regulatory Submission! 
    
    You will receive a confirmation email shortly with an attachment containing the information you entered in your application. You can view or download your application summary by clicking File Number of the submission under the REGULATORY SUBMISSIONS tab of your Dashboard.

If you have any questions or would like to provide comments or feedback on the application process, please contact AGCO Customer Service.  

The iAGCO support page also provides additional information that may help answer your questions. To make changes to your licence once it has been approved, see the Charitable Gaming-specific section of the iAGCO support page.