Social Gaming Licence Guide

Important Note: The Social Gaming Licence is available. However, the AGCO reminds all licensees and participants that they are expected to comply with all public health regulations related to the COVID-19 pandemic, municipal by-laws, and all required health and safety protocols. 

The new Social Gaming Licence is for individual applicants or organizations to host casual social gaming events in public places. The licence is broadly intended for use by Legions, Service Clubs, Seniors’ Homes, community groups and individual applicants and charities. Games may take place in locations such as Service Clubs, social clubs, seniors’ centres, retirement residences, and other public places.  
 
The licence can be used for a variety of games that are commonly played, such as euchre, cribbage, bridge, and others (casino games are not permitted), and will provide community groups, social and service clubs or others with greater flexibility when conducting small stakes social gaming events. 
 
Under the new social gaming licence, bet limits on social games may not exceed $2 per person and total cash prizes awarded for all gaming activities must not exceed $500 per calendar day. These limits are prescribed by the Criminal Code of Canada (s.207(1)(d).  
 
No entrance or admission fee may be charged. All wagers are returned to the winners, with the exception that the licensee is permitted to recover up to $50 per day to cover expenses. The licence is not a revenue or fundraising source for applicants. 
 
No one under the age of 18 is allowed to participate, games are not permitted to be played on or through an electronic device, and the licensee must make rules of play readily available to all players. The licensee must produce the licence on demand.    
 
This licence will not be available for establishments with liquor licences (bars or restaurants). As an exception, Service Clubs and service organizations will be permitted to obtain a Social Gaming Licence regardless of whether or not they also hold a liquor licence. 
 
Organizations are limited to one licence for social gaming at any time and may not hold multiple licences on any calendar day or at any location. The licence period is 12 months and covers multiple events over the course of the year.  
 
The licence is issued electronically through the iAGCO portal via a process that allows the licence to be issued automatically upon completion of the application.  
 
The licensee is responsible and accountable for the overall conduct and management of the Social Gaming event(s). The licensee must control and decide all operational and administrative requirements related to the conduct of the social gaming event(s) in accordance with the information supplied on the application and approved by the licence. 
 
The licensee must comply with all federal, provincial, and municipal laws including the Criminal Code of Canada and the Gaming Control Act, 1992 and Regulations.  
 
This information pertains to the new Social Gaming Licence, not the charitable gaming licence formerly known as a Social Gaming Licence, which is available under a new name, the Special Occasion Gaming Licence. 
 
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