The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has made several updates to its charitable lottery licensing policies in response to stakeholder requests. These updates further the AGCO’s commitment to encourage innovation and will reduce burden for the charitable gaming sector in 2025.
Updates to the Charitable Lottery Licensing Policies and Electronic Raffle Systems Minimum Technical Standards
Eligible charities may now apply to offer:
- Subscriptions with automatic billing for electronic raffle ticket sales
- Electronic raffle tickets that use a single number for multiple draw entries
- A new variation of a Break Open Ticket (BOT) that combines a traditional BOT with a raffle and/or second BOT on a single charitable gaming ticket.
*NEW* e-Raffle Subscription Policy
The AGCO has updated the Lottery Licensing Policy Manual and Electronic Raffle Systems Minimum Technical Standards to permit subscriptions with automatic billing for electronic raffle tickets.
What is changing?
As of January 8, 2025, registered charities may offer subscriptions with automatic billing for licensed electronic raffle ticket sales.
This change ensures safeguards for consumers and provide guidelines for Ontario charities who wish to run subscription-based electronic raffles.
Requirements include:
- Charities must provide clear, transparent billing policies.
- Subscriptions must not be the default option for players to participate in the lottery scheme (i.e., they must opt-in to the subscription).
- Players must be notified in advance of automatic payment processing.
- Easily accessible opt-out options.
Charities that wish to offer subscriptions must include details of the subscription features in the rules of play submitted to AGCO.
As with all licensed charitable lottery events, charities must take the necessary steps to ensure that they are conducting and managing the lottery event within Ontario.
Updates to the Lottery Licensing Policy Manual:
A new section has been added to the Lottery Licensing Policy Manual to reflect this change:
- 5.3.1(A)(xiii): Electronic Raffle Subscriptions
Updates to the Electronic Raffle Systems Minimum Technical Standards:
The following amendments to the Electronic Raffle Systems Minimum Technical Standards have been made:
- Glossary
- 2.2: Rules of Play and Information Display
- 3.1: General Requirements for Sale of Raffle Tickets
- 3.3: Subscriptions
*NEW* Single Number Multi-Chance e-Raffle Feature
The AGCO has updated the Electronic Raffle Operational Terms and Conditions and the Electronic Raffle Systems Minimum Technical Standards to permit a new single number, multi chance technical solution feature for electronic raffle sales.
What is changing?
As of January 8, 2025, registered charities may use a technical solution feature called Single Number Multi-Chance to simplify the sale of multiple raffle entries to a player at a licensed raffle event.
How does it work?
A single raffle number is assigned to each purchase transaction. The number of times this single number is entered into the draw corresponds with the number of entries the player purchased. For example, if a player purchases 500 entries and is assigned raffle ticket number “1”, “1” is entered into the draw 500 times.
The purchaser’s chances of winning are the same as if they received individual numbers each entered into the draw.
This change makes it quicker and easier for charitable organizations to sell multiple electronic raffle entries to a single player at a raffle event.
NOTE:
- Both portions of the ticket (the one retained by the player and the one retained by the charity) must clearly indicate the number of times the ticket number was entered into the draw.
- Charities must update their rules of play if they wish to use a single number multi-chance raffle feature.
- Charities wishing to sell entries with individual ticket numbers may continue to do so.
Updates to the Electronic Raffle Operational Terms and Conditions:
A new section has been added to the Electronic Raffle Operational Terms and Conditions to reflect this change:
- 4.13: Ticket Sales
Updates to the Electronic Raffle Systems Minimum Technical Standards:
The following amendments to the Electronic Raffle Systems Minimum Technical Standards have been made:
- 2.3: Raffle Ticket
- 3.5: Raffle Draw(s)
*NEW* BOT+ Charitable Gaming Opportunity
The AGCO is introducing a new combined charitable gaming opportunity that permits eligible charitable organizations to combine a BOT with another BOT and/or raffle game on a single charitable gaming ticket.
What is changing?
As of January 8, 2025, eligible charities may apply for an opportunity to sell a single ticket which includes a BOT and up to two other games (BOT or raffle).
This change provides flexibility and creative opportunities to the charitable gaming sector.
How does it work?
Charities must apply to the AGCO to obtain individual licences for all games included on the BOT+ ticket. For example, if a BOT+ ticket contains a BOT and a raffle, the charity must obtain a BOT licence and a raffle licence.
Charities must follow the BOT+ Terms and Conditions and all related policies for the games included on the ticket. For example, if a BOT+ ticket contains a BOT and a raffle, the licensed charity must follow all existing BOT and raffle policies.
Licenses held under a BOT+ offering must be issued by the AGCO.
BOT+ Terms and Conditions:
New BOT+ Terms and Conditions outline how the BOT+ offering works and provide clarity around how licensees will conduct this combined opportunity.
The new BOT+ Terms and Conditions include information on:
- Which BOT and raffle games are eligible to be combined on a BOT+ ticket
- Ticket sales requirements
- How each game offering on the ticket should be divided for purposes of determining appropriate prize pot amounts, proceeds, expenses and reporting.
For more information, see the BOT+ Terms and Conditions on the AGCO website.
Additional e-Raffle Resources
Please refer to the AGCO’s Checklist for a Successful Electronic Raffle for more information on how to apply for and conduct an electronic raffle.
The AGCO has provided clarity on existing fundraising policies that let charities work together to run fundraising events (including online raffles) and split the proceeds.
Working with other charities to fundraise can be beneficial for many reasons, including:
- reaching more potential donors
- widening donor appeal with more charitable purposes
- the ability to offer larger prizes (as a result of larger lottery events), sharing the effort and resources required to run events.
For more information on collaborative fundraising opportunities, please see the Information Bulletin: Providing Clarity to Charities on Collaborative Fundraising Opportunities in Ontario.
Contact the AGCO for more information
For charitable gaming-related inquiries, email an AGCO Eligibility Officer at lottery.licensing@agco.ca or call AGCO Customer Service at 1-800-522-2876, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.