Lottery

Charitable Lottery Licensing Overview

• The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) authorizes the Norfolk County to provide local charities, non-profit organizations and other eligible organizations with lottery and gaming licences. Norfolk County 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 responsibility to operate, license and regulate legal forms of gaming.

If your organization is interested in lottery licensing, please submit a Lottery Licensing Eligibility Review Application and supporting documents to the County Clerk’s Office.

To qualify for a lottery licence, a registered charitable, non-profit or religious organization may conduct a lottery scheme to raise funds if they have a demonstrated charitable or religious mandate to qualify. “Charitable” refers to organizations which provide programs for:

• Relief of poverty
• Advancement of education
• Advancement of religion
• Other charitable purposes beneficial to the community such as:
  • culture and the arts
  • health and welfare
  • amateur sports organization
  • enhancement of youth
  • enhancement of public safety
  • community service organizations (Legion, Rotary, Lions, etc.)

Your organization must:

• have been in existence and has provided charitable community services consistent with the goals and activities of the organization for at least one year in Norfolk County;
• proposes to use the proceeds for charitable programs and services that benefit Norfolk County and its residents; and
• assumes full responsibility for the conduct and management of the lottery event.

Norfolk County can only issue a lottery licence to an organization operating a lottery within the county boundaries.

An individual is not eligible for a lottery licence.

Please note an individual is not eligible for a lottery licence.

Organizations that only promote the private interests of their members do not qualify for lottery licensing. This may include but is not limited to:

• social clubs
• professional associations, unions, employee groups
• elected representative groups, including municipal, regional, provincial and federal governments
• government ministries, agents or bodies
• political lobby groups and those attempting to persuade the public to adopt a particular view on a political issue
• political parties
• adult hobby groups
• private sports club (e.g., golf/curling)
• adult sports teams or hobby groups
• individual youth sports teams
• organizations established solely for the purpose of fundraising

If this is your first time receiving lottery licensing in Norfolk County, please complete the Lottey Licensing Eligibility Review Application and provide supporting documents to the County Clerk’s Office.

Once approved, determine what type of lottery scheme (raffle, bingo, break open ticket) your organization intends to conduct and complete the application form to submit to the County Clerk’s Office.

Eligibility Application

The Lottery Licence application forms are available on the AGCO website.

Raffle Licences Overview and Application form

Bazaar Licence Overview

Break Open Ticket Licence Overview

Bingo Licence Overview

 

Processing timelines

Please be advised that it may take up to 4 weeks to process your application and issue your licence. If an eligibility review is required, this will increase the processing time. To ensure your application is processed as quickly as possible, please submit all required information including:

• Completed application form
• Sample of lottery ticket (if applicable)
• All required signatures
• Contact information (including, name, e-mail or phone) to ensure quick licence pick-up
• Lottery licence fee: 3% of total prize value payable by cheque to Norfolk County

Application Changes

• If you make changes to your licence application package before you submit it to licensing office, each change much be initiated 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. We require 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 to the use of proceeds must be approved by the licensing Officer in advance. Expired licences may not be amended or cancelled.

Incomplete Applications

•  Please note that all information, including appropriate documentation and fees, must be included with your application. Incomplete packages will be returned to your organization. Your organization cannot print or sell tickets until you are licensed, and all tickets must indicate the licence number. It is your responsibility to notify the licensing office of any changes to your organization, such as changes to your board of directors, signing officers, programs and services, etc.

Licensees and applicants

• Licensees and applicants are advised to read the first three chapters of the Lottery Licensing policy Manual (LLPM) as well as the chapter related to the lottery type intend to conduct. They should also read the Lottery Licence Terms and Conditions, the terms and conditions for their lottery type and any additional documents that may relate to their lottery type. Get the most recent versions of all these documents from the Charitable Gaming: Charitable and Religious Organizations portal on the AGCO web site.
• The licence application is available on the AGCO webpage.

Lottery reports are due 30 days after a lottery event is finished.

Lottery Report Template

Reports are to be subbmited on-time to:

Email: [email protected]

Mail: Norfolk County Clerk’s Department
50 Colborne St S, Simcoe, ON N3Y 4H3