Lottery Licence

The Municipality of Clarington has the authority to issue lottery licences to eligible organizations within the community. We are also responsible for enforcing licensing policies and compliance under the terms and conditions of the licences we issue.

Our Clerk's Division issues lottery licences in accordance with Provincial Regulations.

When do I need a licence?

If your event includes:

An exchange of consideration or fee (i.e. money changes hands),
A game of chance, and
An opportunity to win a prize

Under the Criminal Code of Canada, your event is considered a lottery event and therefore the rules set out by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario apply.

Lottery licences are required for the following six events:

Raffles
50/50 draws
Arm's length tickets
Bazaars
Bingos
Break open tickets

Who can get a licence to conduct a lottery event?

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 be providing charitable services to Ontario residents for a minimum of one year to qualify. The term "charitable" refers to organizations that provide programs or services for:

The relief of poverty
The advancement of education
The advancement of religion
Other charitable purposes beneficial to the community

The primary purposes of an organization are determined by considering:

The mandate of the organization as set out in its incorporation documents or documents stating the organization's objects
The objects of the organization as described in its application for licence
The services which have actually been provided by the organization to the community

What types of organizations are not charitable for lottery licensing purposes?

Types of organizations that cannot be considered charitable include:

Professional associations, unions, employee groups
Elected representative groups including municipal, regional, provincial, and federal governments
Government ministries, agents, or bodies
Political lobby groups
Political parties
Adult hobby groups
Private sports clubs (e.g. golf/curling)
Adult sports team
Social clubs

Apply for a lottery licence

It's now easier than ever to apply for a lottery licence with our new Service Clarington portal. To get started, visit the Service Clarington portal and register for a new account.

Applying for a Lottery licence is a two-step process.

Step 1: Your organization must go through an eligibility review. Submit an eligibility application on the Service Clarington portal. You will need to create an account if you don’t have one.

You will be required to submit copies of the following information:

Incorporation papers (if applicable)
Notification of charitable registration (Revenue Canada) (if applicable)
Constitution and by-laws (if applicable)
Detailed outline of charitable programs/services provided.
Financial statement for the previous fiscal year (Audited, where applicable)
Current operating budget
Most recent Registered Charity Information Return and Public Information Return (Revenue Canada) (if applicable)
Current list board of directors
Sports organizations must include a list of all players, ages, and birth dates

Step 2: Once your eligibility is approved, apply for the type of lottery licence you wish to obtain using your Service Clarington account.

Learn more about how to use the portal at www.clarington.net/ServiceClarington.

Apply for a lottery licence.

Printed forms and information packages

Application forms and information packages are also available for pick up in the Clerk's Division at 40 Temperance Street in Bowmanville.

Submit completed forms along with any necessary supplementary documents for approval as outlined in the Terms and Conditions. Once received, we will assess all submissions for accuracy, and eligibility will be determined. We need a minimum of two weeks to process a lottery application and a minimum of 30 days for first time applicants.

The Municipality of Clarington is responsible for issuing Municipal lottery licences for lottery events conducted in Clarington as follows:

Bingo events with prize board $5,500 and under
Media bingo events
Raffle for total prizes $50,000 and under
Break Open licences not licensed by province
Bazaars

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario is responsible for issuing the lottery licences as follows:

Bingo events with prize board over $5,500
Super jackpot games
Raffle for total prizes over $50,000
Electronic raffles (any prize value)
Provincial break open
All Monte Carlo events
All lottery schemes conducted in unorganized territories
All lottery schemes at a designated Fair or Exhibition or at a Public Place of Amusement
Break Open Ticket Sellers

Applications and resources

General

Break Open

The licence fee is three per cent of the total value of the prizes.

Bingo

The licence fee is two per cent of the total retail value of prizes.

Raffle

The licence fee is three per cent of the retail value of prizes.

A blanket raffle licence may be issued to allow eligible organizations to obtain a single lottery licence to conduct a series of raffle events within a fixed period.

Bazaar

The licence fee is three per cent of the retail value of prizes to a maximum total value of $500.

Contact for Provincial Lottery Licensing

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario

90 Sheppard Avenue East
Suite 200-300
Toronto, ON M2N 0A4
Phone: 1-800-522-2876