Fundraisers with Raffles & Bingo

To fundraise with minor gaming activities, you must be declared with the VCGLR.

Clubs need to be declared with the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) if they hold fundraising activities, like raffles and bingo, that are based on chance.

Being declared as a community or charitable organisation:

Regardless of how much money is raised, clubs must register with the VCGLR if their fundraising involves minor gaming activities.

To be declared clubs must meet certain criteria:

  • demonstrate they are conducted in good faith
  • lodge their applications at least 28 days before the first gaming activity

It’s free and a declaration lasts for 10 years. Check if your club is listed as a declared community or charitable organisation with the VCGLR. If you’re not registered, here’s the application form.

It’s best to get help if you are not sure:

Check out the VCGLR fundraising factsheet and if your club is in doubt about any of the activities they run or what’s required, or if they just want reassurance, please contact the VCGLR:

Phone 1300 182 457 | Email: [email protected]

Did you know?

A new fundraising exemption order recently commenced, which means clubs and other organisations don’t have to register with Consumer Affairs Victoria if they earn less than $20,000 a year.

But remember, you still need to be declared with the VCGLR if you’re fundraising with minor gaming activities.

Bingo

Bingo may be conducted for fundraising purposes by organisations declared by the VCGLR as community or charitable organisations.

If your Club has been ‘declared’ it would have been advised by the VCGLR in writing and been issued a declaration number.

If you are not sure if your organisation has been declared, please contact the Minor Gaming Unit at the VCGLR on (03) 9651 3630, or via email at [email protected].

For more information on Bingo refer to the VCGLR website.

Promotions and Lotteries

A members’ draw is considered a trade promotion lottery, and is usually conducted by clubs. It involves the drawing of a member’s number from a pool of numbers. Terms and conditions should be available at the place of entry and to all members. The conditions of entry only require the member to be present at the draw if the entry and draw are to occur on the same day. If a member enters the draw through buying goods or services throughout the week, then the member does not need to be present at the time of the members’ draw

An entry fee cannot be charged for a trade promotion lottery. This does not prevent a person from being required to purchase a genuine product or service to be eligible to enter.

In addition, any ancillary costs (for example, telephone call, SMS or postage) must not exceed $1. This restriction must be considered for any trade promotion lottery that might require a participant to call more than once.

The conditions of a trade promotion lottery are set out in the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 and Gambling Regulations 2015.

As at 20 June 2015, the conditions for the conduct of trade promotion lotteries are as follows:

  • The expense per entry must not exceed the gazetted amount (currently $1)
  • It must not be a precondition for entry that an entrant has played a gaming machine, or participated in a loyalty scheme that requires an entrant to play a gaming machine
  • Written consent must be obtained from the person whose trade or business is to be promoted by the lottery
  • The lottery must be conducted so as to benefit primarily the trade or business being promoted
  • Information used to promote the lottery and any scratch and win cards must include
    1. the closing date of the lottery
    2. if applicable, where and when the lottery will be drawn
    3. the name and date of the publication in which winners’ names will be published
    4. the entry requirements, if any
  • The names of winners of all prizes over $1000 must be published by one of the following methods:
    1. in a newspaper circulating generally in Victoria
    2. on the internet, for a minimum period of 28 days
    3. if the lottery was advertised solely through a trade journal, promotional magazine or similar publication, in that publication
  • Certain records must be kept for a period of three years after finalisation of the lottery that provide:
    1. an accurate financial accounting of the lottery
    2. an accurate accounting for all entries
    3. an accurate report of the distribution of prizes
  • The winners of prizes must be advised in writing of the prize
  • If the trade promotion lottery is to be drawn, the method of the draw must allow each ticket in the draw a random and equal chance of being drawn
  • The winner of a prize must not incur a cost to accept a prize (other than a trivial cost)
  • If information about entrants is to be used for a purpose other than the conduct of the lottery, this must be stated in the conditions of entry
  • A person who conducts a trade promotion must not use entrants’ information except in accordance with the purposes stated in the condition of entry
  • A person who conducts a trade promotion lottery must obtain written agreement from the business, that the business will not use the entrants’ information except in accordance with the purposes stated in the conditions of entry
  • An entrant is not required to be present at the drawing of the lottery in order to be eligible to win a prize (unless the entry and draw are to occur on the same day and in the same place)
  • The prize must be paid or transferred to the winner within 28 days after the draw
  • The winner of a prize may only be substituted via a second draw, and only if the conditions of entry allow it and if reasonable efforts were made to identify the winner that were unsuccessful
  • If a trade promotion lottery is conducted with scratch and win cards, the conditions of entry must disclose the maximum number of scratch and win cards to be distributed and the total number and individual value of the prizes. There must also be a condition that printing errors and other quality control matters are not to be used as a reason for refusing payment of prizes
  • A trade promotion lottery must be conducted in a manner that is not offensive and that is not contrary to the public interest
  • A prize may only be substituted if the substituted prize is of the same or greater value than the original prize and the winner either agrees in writing, or the original prize is unavailable due to circumstances beyond the control of the person conducting the trade promotion lottery and reasonable attempts are made to reach agreement with the winner that are unsuccessful.

A trade promotion lottery is a lottery designed to promote a trade or business. Businesses, charities and community organisations don’t need to apply to the VCGLR for a permit to conduct a trade promotion lottery.

A Trade Promotion Lottery includes any scheme that gives away prizes by any means that include an element of chance at any stage. Even if partially skills-based, the scheme will still have to be conducted in accordance with the regulations.While a permit is not required, all trade promotion lotteries conducted in Victoria must continue to comply with the conditions provided for in the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 and Gambling Regulations 2015.A full list of the conditions that currently apply to trade promotion lotteries can be found at the trade promotion lotteries FAQs page on the VCGLR web site.The VCGLR will continue to regulate trade promotion lotteries by ensuring compliance with the mandatory conditions. If a business conducts a trade promotion lottery in contravention of the mandatory conditions, a penalty exceeding $9,100 may apply on 1 July 2015.

A members’ draw is considered a trade promotion lottery, and is usually conducted by clubs. It involves the drawing of a member’s number from a pool of numbers.Terms and conditions should be available at the place of entry and to all members. The conditions of entry only require the member to be present at the draw if the entry and draw are to occur on the same day.If a member enters the draw through buying goods or services throughout the week, then the member does not need to be present at the time of the members’ draw.

A ‘game of skill’ is when there is no element of chance at any point in the competition. If the game contains a random selection of entrants at any point in the activity, then it is considered a lottery and will need to satisfy the requirements under the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 and related regulations.

A 1900 number or SMS can be used in a trade promotion lottery, but the telephone call or SMS cannot cost more than $1 per entry (including GST). This restriction must be considered for any trade promotion lottery that might require a participant to call more than once.

An entry fee cannot be charged for a trade promotion lottery. This does not prevent a person from being required to purchase a genuine product or service to be eligible to enter.In addition, any ancillary costs (for example, telephone call, SMS or postage) must not exceed $1. This restriction must be considered for any trade promotion lottery that might require a participant to call more than once.

You aren’t required to submit an application for a permit to conduct a trade promotion lottery in Victoria. If your trade promotion lottery will be conducted in other jurisdictions, it is best to check directly with the relevant regulatory authorities to ensure you continue to meet their conditions.

Trade promotion lotteries conditions

The conditions of a trade promotion lottery are set out in the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 and Gambling Regulations 2015.

As at 20 June 2015, the conditions for the conduct of trade promotion lotteries are as follows:

  • The expense per entry must not exceed the gazetted amount (currently $1)
  • It must not be a precondition for entry that an entrant has played a gaming machine, or participated in a loyalty scheme that requires an entrant to play a gaming machine
  • Written consent must be obtained from the person whose trade or business is to be promoted by the lottery
  • The lottery must be conducted so as to benefit primarily the trade or business being promoted

  • the closing date of the lottery
  • if applicable, where and when the lottery will be drawn
  • the name and date of the publication in which winners’ names will be published
  • the entry requirements, if any
  • The names of winners of all prizes over $1000 must be published by one of the following methods:
    • in a newspaper circulating generally in Victoria
    • on the internet, for a minimum period of 28 days
    • if the lottery was advertised solely through a trade journal, promotional magazine or similar publication, in that publication
  • The winners of prizes must be advised in writing of the prize
  • Certain records must be kept for a period of three years after finalisation of the lottery
  • If the trade promotion lottery is to be drawn, the method of the draw must allow each ticket in the draw a random and equal chance of being drawn
  • The winner of a prize must not incur a cost to accept a prize (other than a trivial cost)
  • If information about entrants is to be used for a purpose other than the conduct of the lottery, this must be stated in the conditions of entry
  • A person who conducts a trade promotion must not use entrants’ information except in accordance with the purposes stated in the condition of entry
  • A person who conducts a trade promotion lottery must obtain written agreement from the business, that the business will not use the entrants’ information except in accordance with the purposes stated in the conditions of entry
  • An entrant is not required to be present at the drawing of the lottery in order to be eligible to win a prize (unless the entry and draw are to occur on the same day and in the same place)
  • The prize must be paid or transferred to the winner within 28 days after the draw
  • The winner of a prize may only be substituted via a second draw, and only if the conditions of entry allow it and if reasonable efforts were made to identify the winner that were unsuccessful
  • If a trade promotion lottery is conducted with scratch and win cards, the conditions of entry must disclose the maximum number of scratch and win cards to be distributed and the total number and individual value of the prizes. There must also be a condition that printing errors and other quality control matters are not to be used as a reason for refusing payment of prizes
  • A trade promotion lottery must be conducted in a manner that is not offensive and that is not contrary to the public interest
  • A prize may only be substituted if the substituted prize is of the same or greater value than the original prize and the winner either agrees in writing, or the original prize is unavailable due to circumstances beyond the control of the person conducting the trade promotion lottery and reasonable attempts are made to reach agreement with the winner that are unsuccessful

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