Lottery and Gaming Licensing
AGCO Lottery Session
The City of Brantford is pleased to host local Community Groups (Charitable/Not for Profit) for a lottery licensing presentation from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
If you are interested in learning about lottery updates from the AGCO, how to conduct a raffle, bingo, 50-50 draw, etc., as part of your organization’s fundraising initiatives, please join us to hear directly from the AGCO on the requirements. If you are not new to lottery fundraising, please feel welcome to attend for updates and have your questions answered. Registration is required.
Please register by Tuesday, October 15, 2024, by emailing licensing@brantford.ca with the contact information of the person(s) to attend.
The session is free for registrants. Free on-street parking is available around City Hall (parking time limits for a vehicle can range between 1 hour to 3 hours unless stated otherwise on roadside signs). Paid parking is available at Lot 3 on Darling Street (behind City Hall).
Lottery and Gaming
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) authorizes the City of Brantford to provide lottery and gaming licenses. The City makes sure lottery licensees and any gaming supplies used by charities meet all legal requirements. 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.
Council has the authority to issue licences for most lottery events conducted in Brantford including:
- Bingo events with prize boards of up to $5,500
- Raffles with prizes of up to $50,000
- Break open ticket events that are not conducted in conjunction with another licensed gaming event, and where the tickets are sold within Brantford
- Bazaar gaming events
- Media bingo
Lottery group eligibility |
Determining an organization’s eligibility for lottery licensing is a complex process. Licensing officials must make eligibility decisions on a case-by-case basis by considering the specific circumstances of each organization. Licensing officials must also determine the eligible uses of lottery proceeds for each organization. Licences are only issued for the following charitable reasons:
An organization must also demonstrate how it has carried out charitable activities that benefit Ontario residents in a way that is consistent with its mandate for at least one year. Filling out the lottery group eligibility application is the first step in being considered as a possible eligible lottery group. Eligibility reviews for new groups take approximately two weeks. Additional information may be requested. Please provide all necessary material in a timely manner. Annual eligibility updates of changed or amended documents, programs, or similar material are required by each active group once they are deemed eligible to conduct lotteries. |
Use of lottery proceeds |
Once a group is deemed eligible for a licence, the use of lottery proceeds listed on the licence application is reviewed. A licensing official will review the organization’s programs and services, their mandate, the type of organization their are, and the structure of the origination. Eligible uses of proceeds include:
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Financial requirements
All licensees must hold lottery proceeds in designated lottery trust accounts for the purposes listed in the lottery licence application and as approved by the licensing authority. The licensing authority may limit the amount that may be held in the trust account. Lottery proceeds must be used for the purposes approved by the licensing authority and cannot be accumulated for other purposes or over a period of time not approved by the licensing authority.
Below is a listing of licence types and reporting requirements. Please contact us with any questions.
Bazaar | ||
A bazaar is a sale of goods held to raise money for a charity. There are four types of lottery events that are permitted at bazaars:
Please review the AGCO's terms and conditions for bazaar licences. Please note that all financial lottery activity must be conducted within a lottery trust account. The following is required for a bazaar licence:
Fee:
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Bingo | ||
Bingo is a game of chance where players are awarded a prize or prizes for being the first to complete a specified arrangement of numbers on bingo paper, based on numbers selected at random. Review AGCO’s terms and conditions for bingo licences. Please note that all financial lottery activity must be conducted within a lottery trust account. The following is required for a bingo licence:
Fee:
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Break open tickets | ||
Break open tickets are instant win lottery tickets. They are commonly known as pull tab or nevada tickets and by brand name “Pocket Slots”. Break open tickets are made of cardboard, have one or more perforated cover window tabs hiding winning and losing numbers or symbols, are played by tearing off the cover tabs, and can also include seal cards and bingo event tickets. Our break open ticket types and maximum expenses are available fore you to review. Review AGCO’s terms and conditions for break open ticket licences. Please note that all financial lottery activity must be conducted within a lottery trust account. The following is required for a break open ticket licence:
Fee:
Licence Extensions Groups may request extensions on their break open ticket licence if required. This must be done in writing before your current licence expires. Request will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
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Raffle | ||
A raffle is a lottery system where tickets are sold for a chance to win a prize in a draw. The different types of raffle systems are usually identified by the winner is determined. Raffle prizes may consist of merchandise or cash, or a combination of the two. The value of the prizes to be awarded, including any taxes must be $50,000 or less in order for the City of Brantford to issue a licence. The following are permitted raffle lottery events:
Please review AGCO’s terms and conditions for raffle licences. Please note that all financial lottery activity must be conducted within a lottery trust account. The following is required for a raffle licence:
Fee:
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