Lottery Licences

Application Changes/Incomplete Applications

• if changes are made to your licence application package before you submit it to the Town of Gravenhurst, each change must be initialed on each document by the licence application signors and other signors of that document.
• changes to your submitted licence application package must be made in writing on your organization's letterhead, be signed by the licence application signors and include supporting documents that are affected. The municipality requires at least two (2) weeks' written notice.
• application changes are not automatically approved and may not be permitted.
• once your lottery licence is issued, requests for changes will not be considered. Expired licences may not be amended or cancelled.
• incomplete packages will be returned to your organization.
• your organization cannot print or sell tickets until you are licenced, and all tickets must indicate the licence number.
• it is your responsibility to notify the Town of Gravenhurst of any changes to your organization, such as changes to your board of directors, signing officers, programs and services, etc.

A raffle licence lets charitable organizations conduct and manage raffle lottery events that raise money to support their programs and services. In some cases, municipalities and the AGCO work together to issue lottery licences.

You need a licence to run a raffle lottery event. If you’ve applied before, you need to submit your application at least 14 days before your event.

If you’re a new applicant, you need to submit your application at least 30 days before your event. Applicants must receive a approved eligible status before applying. 

Application to Manage and Conduct a Raffle Lottery

Application to Manage and Conduct a Blanket Raffle Lottery

Break open tickets are instant win lottery tickets.  A break open ticket is a device made of cardboard with perforated cover window tabs behind which are symbols revealed by tearing open the cover tab. The winning combination of symbols is specified on the back of the ticket. Break-open tickets are also known as "Nevada tickets" or "pull tabs".

Break Open Ticket Application
AGCO’s Break Open Ticket Licence Terms and Conditions

These are games where you buy bingo cards and try to complete certain patterns with randomly drawn numbers to win prizes.

Different types of bingo events can be conducted and managed by eligible organizations under a provincial or municipal licence. The policies and requirements for conducting and managing a bingo event are different depending on where the bingo event will be held. A municipality may add extra conditions to a licence, as long as they don’t conflict with existing policy and regulation. 

You (the licensee) must conduct and manage the event in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the licence.

Bingo Application

AGCO’s Regular and Special Bingo Licence Terms and Conditions 

A bazaar is a sale of goods held to raise money for a charity. Municipalities may issue licences to allow eligible organizations to conduct and manage lottery events in conjunction with a bazaar, provided the lottery events are ancillary to the bazaar itself.

The following policies apply to bazaar licences:

A municipal council or the Registrar may issue a licence allowing an eligible organization to conduct and manage the following lottery events during a bazaar:

• a wheel of fortune event with no more than three (3) wheels, where individual bets do not exceed two (2) dollars;
• a raffle lottery not exceeding $50,000 in prizes; and
• a bingo lottery not exceeding $5,500 in prizes.

The licence fee for a bazaar licence cannot exceed $10 per wheel and three (3) percent of the prizes offered for a raffle or bingo event.

Licences must not be issued for events to be conducted on any conveyance that moves or is capable of moving, including boats, trains and airplanes.

Bazaar Application 

All licensed organizations must open and maintain a lottery trust account in Canadian funds. Please review the AGCO's requirements for designated lottery trust account before submitting a lottery application. 

Final Reports are due to the Municipal Office within 30 days after the completed event.

Blanket Raffle Report

Catch the Ace Report

Break Open Ticket Report

Bingo Report

An organization is ineligible for a lottery licence if:

• it is established as a profit-making entity;
• it does not have a charitable object or purpose;
• it promotes private benefits to a restricted class of members;
• it is established solely for the purpose of adult recreation;
• it is established for the purpose of tourism or other activities that are purely economic in nature; or
• it is a sub-group, “partner” or auxiliary of an eligible organization that is already licensed.

Organizations ineligible for lottery licensing include:

The following types of organizations are not considered charitable by the Province of Ontario for lottery licensing purposes: 

• social clubs, adult hobby groups and adult sports teams
• professional associations, unions and employee groups
• elected representative groups, including municipal, regional,
• provincial and federal governments
• government ministries, agents or bodies
• political lobby groups and political parties
• groups promoting political doctrine
• groups attempting to bring about or oppose change in the law or
• government policy
• municipal councils, municipal corporations and their administrative departments
• organizations established solely for the purposes of fundraising private sports clubs, such as golf or curling clubs

Apply with the AGCO for:

• all lotteries conducted in unorganized territories, on Crown lands (like a Canadian Forces Base) or in some First Nations communities
• bingo events with a prize board over $5,500
• bingo events conducted in conjunction with other licensed lottery events
• super jackpot bingo events
• progressive bingo game events and loonie progressive games
• table board bingo events where:
  
  • held in conjunction with a Regular Bingo event and where the Table Board Bingo prizes are in addition to the maximum Regular Bingo prize board. The Bingo Sponsors’ Association must apply for the licence.
  • held in conjunction with a Special (Monster) Bingo event, where the Table Board Bingo prizes are in addition to the
• special bingo prize board. The Bingo Sponsors’ Association must apply for this type of Table Board Bingo event.
  special occasion gaming event
• raffle lotteries for total prizes over $50,000
• electronic raffles
• break open ticket lotteries where the licensed organization has a provincial mandate (allows eligible organizations can sell break open tickets from one (1) location in each municipality across Ontario)
• break open ticket lotteries where the event is to be conducted in conjunction with another licensed lottery event
• fairs or exhibitions’ lotteries
• lotteries held with another gaming event, including break open tickets at bingo events