Pooling bingo halls

In “pooling” bingo halls, proceeds from charitable gaming events (such as bingo, break open ticket lotteries and raffles) are shared among a group of charities. The charities pooling proceeds form a group, known as a Hall Charity Association. Proceeds from fundraising may be split between the charities and the Operator of the bingo hall. 

This type of bingo hall falls under a framework known as the Bingo Revenue Model (BRM).

The Operator of the bingo hall must be registered by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). Charitable organizations licensed to conduct and manage charitable gaming events in a pooling bingo hall must form a “Hall Charities Association” to set the schedule for charitable gaming events and administer the proceeds from them, file gaming summary reports regularly and manage activities such as advertising and marketing of the charitable gaming events. A Hall Charities Association Administrator is appointed to administer the Association’s activities.

Member organizations of the Hall Charities Association are responsible for applying for their individual gaming licences, filing reports for their licensed gaming events and providing bona fide members to conduct and manage their events.

Provincial Licence
The Registrar issues a licence to Hall Charities Association in conjunction with the individually approved municipal licences.

Municipal Licence
The Municipal Licensing Authority issues individual licences to member organizations.

Charitable organizations must use a designated lottery trust account to administer the costs and distribute their share of the proceeds from the charitable gaming events conducted and managed in pooling bingo halls. Hall Charities Associations must use a consolidated lottery trust account to administer the costs of and proceeds from their members’ charitable gaming events. The Financial Management and Administration of Pooling Bingo Halls Terms and Conditions details the requirements for setting up and administering these accounts.

Individual member organizations of a Hall Charities Association each complete a Charitable Gaming Application.

Once in receipt of all completed Charitable Gaming Applications, the Hall Charities Association Administrator prepares the Charitable Gaming Event Spreadsheet.

The licensee must conduct and manage the event in accordance with the terms and conditions of the licence as well as any Standards and Directives issued by the Registrar.

Note: Municipalities issue bingo licences to member organizations and provide licence numbers to the Hall Charities Association. Applications to the AGCO must be completed using iAGCO.

Individual charitable licensees are responsible for completing the Charitable Gaming Event Report at the conclusion of each licensed event. Individual charitable licensees must also complete the Charitable Gaming Report on a monthly basis and submit the report to the Municipal Licensing Authority.

On a monthly basis, the Hall Charities Association Administrator summarizes the individual event reports and prepares the Charitable Gaming Summary Report. The Charitable Gaming Summary Report also includes the Bingo Hall Owner or Operator Report completed by the Operator of the bingo hall and summarizing all other revenues generated at the bingo hall. Upon completion, the Hall Charities Association forwards a copy of the Charitable Gaming Summary Report and the Bingo Hall Owner or Operator Report to the Municipal Licensing Authority.

Lottery Licence Terms and Conditions
Charitable Gaming Events Conducted and Managed In Pooling Bingo Halls - Terms and Conditions
Financial Management and Administration of Pooling Bingo Halls Terms and Conditions
Pooling Bingo Halls: Advertising and Marketing Guidelines
Important Notice - New Bingo Revenue Model for Pooling Bingo Halls
Bingo Revenue Model – Update to Directive — Transfer of Bingo Funds from Hall Marketing Fund to Bingo Development Fund