Lottery License

Canada's Criminal Code permits charitable and religious organizations to conduct a lottery scheme to raise funds once a licence is issued. Organizations must have a demonstrated charitable or religious mandate to provides programs for:

• relief of poverty;
• advancement of education;
• advancement of religion;
• other charitable purposes beneficial to the community

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

• Organizations must be in existence for at least one (1) year.
• The organization must have a place of business in Ontario; demonstrate that is established to provide charitable services, in Ontario and use proceeds for objects or purposes which benefit Ontario residents.
• The Township of South-West Oxford will only issue a lottery licence to an organization which operates charitable facilities or programs within the County of Oxford.

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.

• social clubs
• professional associations, union, employee groups
• elected representative groups including municipal, regional, provincial and federal governments (includes Committees of Council)
• government ministries, agents or bodies
• political lobby groups
• political parties
• adult hobby groups
• private sports club (e.g., golf/curling)
• adult sports teams
• individual youth sports teams

If one of these groups wishes to raise funds to donate to charities, it must become recognized as a charitable organization with an established charitable mandate, either through incorporation or by constitution and by-laws, and apply for lottery licenses to be used for projects or donations that are consistent with its charitable mandate.

Proceeds from lotteries must be used for a charitable or religions objects or purpose only, and be used within the Province of Ontario

Eligible uses of proceeds must be:

• in themselves charitable and advance the charitable purposes or objects of the organization;

• used for the direct delivery of the charitable purposes or objects of the organization; and

• directed toward specific segments of the Ontario community or residents of Ontario with a common need.

A proposed use of lottery proceeds is ineligible if:

• it provides a personal benefit or gain to the members of the applicant organization;

• it supports tourism or other purely economic benefits;

• it advances a particular political issue;

• it enhances lands and buildings owned and/or operated by a government;

• it is a responsibility that has traditionally been fulfilled by a government; or

• it funds activities that do not fall within one of the four charitable classifications.

For more information on Lottery Licensing eligibility, please view the AGCO's Lottery Licensing Policy Manual, available here.