The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is committed to supporting the charitable gaming sector.
In response to requests from stakeholders, the AGCO is pleased to announce an increase to the maximum number of online raffles that charities can conduct and manage at the same time.
What is changing?
Previously, licensees could conduct and manage a maximum of two (2) online raffles at the same time. As of April 17, 2023, the maximum will increase to four (4).
This increase provides added flexibility and fundraising opportunities to charitable organizations. It also helps to support fairness and accessibility within the sector.
LLPM Updates
The Lottery Licensing Policy Manual (LLPM) sections 5.1.2 (1) and 5.3.1(a)(viii) have been updated to reflect this change.
5.1.2 General Raffle Licensing Policies
1. Licensing authorities may issue concurrent raffle licences based on their evaluation of the licensee’s capacity to successfully conduct and manage multiple events at one time. Licensees may conduct and manage a maximum of four online raffles at the same time.
5.3.1(a)(viii) Limit on concurrent online raffles
“Licensees may conduct and manage a maximum of four online raffles at the same time. (The term online refers to sales that occur when a customer uses the internet to purchase a ticket.)”
Additional Resources
The AGCO recently provided clarity on existing fundraising policies that are available to charities. These policies 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
Charitable gaming-related inquiries can be sent directly to the AGCO’s Eligibility Officers at lottery.licensing@agco.ca. AGCO Customer Service can be reached at 1-800-522-2876, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.