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Lottery Licensing

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) authorizes the City of Elliot Lake to provide local charities, non-profit organizations and other eligible organizations with lottery and gaming licences. The Municipality ensures all legal requirements, including terms and conditions to the licences, are met by lottery licensees and any gaming supplies used by charities. The Criminal Code of Canada defines what types of gaming activities are illegal in Canada, and the provinces are assigned the responsibility to operate, licence and regulate legal forms of gaming.

For further information regarding lotteries, visit the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario website.

First time applicants must first receive lottery licencing approval by providing the municipality with the following documents and completing an application for eligibility.

  • Copy of their mandate, articles of incorporation, letters patent;
  • Current board of director's list;
  • Current projected budget;
  • Previous year's financial statement;
  • Copy of their by-laws;
  • Copy of their Revenue Canada charitable letter, if applicable; and
  • An outline of the specific programs and services the organization has offered in Ontario for the past year.

Where the licensee wishes to extend ticket sales or hold the draw outside the municipality where the event will be administered, the licensee must notify each municipality in which it wishes to extend its operations. Such request shall be in writing and include a copy of the licence issued, as well as a copy of the original application submitted. Permission to extend ticket sales into municipalities other than the municipality where the event is administered will be considered for municipalities in the Province of Ontario only.

The licensee must provide the Municipality with a financial report outlining the results of the lottery within 30 days from the event.

The following documents must accompany the financial report:

  • Copies of all deposit slips related to the event
  • A list of winners

A municipality may issue licences to conduct the following lottery schemes:

  • Bingo events with prize boards $5,500 and under
  • Media bingo events
  • Raffle lotteries for total prizes $50,000 and under
  • All break open ticket lotteries not licenced by the provincial office
  • Bazaars

The Province may issue licences to conduct the following lottery schemes:

  • Bingo events with prize boards over $5,500, super jackpots or progressive prizes
  • Social Gaming Events
  • Raffle lotteries for total prizes over $50,000
  • Lotteries held in conjunction with another gaming event
  • Electronic raffles
  • Break Open Tickets sold by organizations with a provincial mandate

Below are examples of illegal lottery schemes:

  • Lottery schemes that benefit an individual or individuals that are not themselves a charitable organization (i.e. Stag and Does);
  • Lottery schemes that are run by individuals that are not part of a charitable organization (i.e. an individual runs a 50/50 in support of a local charity);
  • Lottery schemes that are run by businesses or other for-profit entities; and/or
  • Eligible organizations running unlicensed lottery schemes (i.e. local sports team raffles).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Charitable gaming refers to lottery schemes permitted by licences under the Criminal Code (Canada). Typically these may include bingos, raffles, break-open tickets and social gaming events held by charitable and religious organizations.

Individuals cannot apply for a lottery licence. Only eligible registered charities, youth sports groups, religious organizations, service clubs can apply.

Canada's Criminal Code permits charitable and religious organizations to conduct a lottery scheme to raise funds pursuant to a licence being issued. Organizations must have a demonstrated charitable or religious mandate to qualify.

The courts have determined that the term "charitable" refers to organizations which provide programs for the relief of poverty, the advancement of education, the advancement of religion or other charitable purposes beneficial to the community.

The following pre-requisites are mandatory to be considered eligible for a lottery licence:

  • Organizations must have been in existence for at least one year.
  • The organization must have a place of business in Ontario, demonstrate that it is established to provide charitable services in Ontario and use proceeds for objects or purposes which benefit Ontario residents.

There are three elements that make the requirement for a license: consideration or fee, a chance (to win the prize) and prize. If one of these elements are removed then the event does not meet the licensing requirements.

Please contact the Lottery Licensing Department for more information.

Contact Us

The City of Elliot Lake,
45 Hillside Drive North,
Elliot Lake, ON P5A 1X5,
Phone: 705-848-2287