Special conditions and requirements - raffle

A person may only conduct a small raffle with the written authority of the community or charitable organisation to benefit from the raffle.

“Small raffle” means a raffle for which the value of the prizes:

(a) in that raffle does not exceed $500, and
(b) in that and every other raffle conducted for the benefit of the same community or charitable organisation on the same day or within an 8 hour period together does not exceed $1,000; and for which the sale of the first ticket and the drawing of the raffle occur on the same day or within an 8 hour period.

1. Sale of tickets

(a) Tickets may only be sold and drawn on the same day or within an 8 hour period.
(b) Total value of tickets available for sale must be not less than twice, and not more than six times, the total value of prizes.
(c) A person who sells tickets must not be remunerated in respect of selling tickets.
(d) Tickets for a small raffle may be either:
(i) a blank raffle book numbered on both butt and the ticket, or
(ii) where the method of the draw is to be a spinning wheel, buttless numbered tickets, from a perforated ticket sheet, having no more numbers than there are divisions on the wheel.
(e) A ticket in a raffle must not be a ticket in another raffle.

2. The small raffle draw

(a) The method of the draw must allow each ticket in the draw a random and equal chance of being drawn.
(b) If there is more than one prize, the first ticket drawn must win first prize (ie ‘reverse draws’ are not allowed).
(c) In the event a winner cannot be identified, or no person comes forward to claim the prize within a reasonable period after the draw is loudly proclaimed, the raffle must be drawn again or, if the method of the draw is a spinning wheel, the wheel spun again.

3. Winner notification and prize distribution

(a) Prizes must be delivered to winners within 28 days after the draw.
(b) A book-buyer’s prize must not be offered or paid.

4. Keeping of records

The person conducting the raffle must ensure accurate records are kept for three years after finalisation of the raffle of:
(a) the disposition of funds; and
(b) the distribution of prizes.

5. Banking requirements

There must be a single account, at a deposit-taking institution in Victoria. This account must be established in the organisation’s name and be used for all financial transactions relating to the conduct of the raffle.

A person may only conduct a raffle with the written authority of the community or charitable organisation to benefit from the raffle.

1. Sale of tickets

(a) Tickets may be sold for a maximum period of 3 months.
(b) The value of the total number of tickets available for sale must not be greater than 6 times and not less than twice the value of all of the prizes.
(c) Ticket sellers must ensure that a permanent record is made of sufficient information to identify and locate the person to whom the ticket is sold.
(d) A person who sells tickets:

• must be authorised by the responsible person to do so; and
• must not be remunerated in respect of selling tickets.

(e) If the person who conducts the raffle is not an employee of the community or charitable organisation to benefit from the raffle, that person may receive payment for conducting the raffle. In this situation, every ticket or all advertising material must be printed with:

• the name of the person; and
• the fact that he/she is conducting the raffle for reward.

(f) A book-buyer’s prize must not be offered or paid.
(g) The following must be printed on each ticket:

• the name of the community or charitable organisation to benefit from the raffle; and/or
• the name of the political party to which all or part of the proceeds are to go;
• the ticket price;
• a description of each prize and its value;
• the date, time and location where the raffle will be drawn; and
• the method of publication or notification of results.
• A ticket in a raffle must not be a ticket in another raffle.

2. The raffle draw

(a) The method of the draw must allow each ticket in the draw a random and equal chance of being drawn.
(b) If there is more than one prize, the first ticket drawn must win first prize (ie ‘reverse draws’ are not allowed).
(c) The draw must be conducted on the day printed on the ticket, being a day not more than 14 days after the proposed last ticket sale.
(d) A ticket which has been drawn is not eligible to be drawn again.

3. Winner notification and prize distribution

(a) The results of the draw must be published and winners notified in accordance with the method printed on the tickets.
(b) Prizes must be delivered to winners within 28 days after the draw.

4. Keeping of records

The person conducting the raffle must ensure that accurate records are kept for a period of three years after finalisation of the raffle of:

• the disposition of funds;
• all tickets which have been printed;
• the distribution of prizes.

In the event a winner does not claim a prize in a raffle and/or the person who conducted the raffle cannot, after a reasonable effort, find a winner of the prize, the person who conducted the raffle must:

• ensure the prize is retained for three months after the draw; or
• if the prize is livestock or property of a perishable nature, sell the prize in a way that brings a reasonable price and retain the proceeds (after deducting the reasonable costs of the sale) for 12 months after the draw;
• if the prize has still not been claimed after 12 months the community or charitable organisation must sell or otherwise dispose of the prize, if this has not already been done, and pay the proceeds (after deducting the reasonable costs of the sale or disposal) to the Treasurer for payment into the Consolidated Fund.

5. Banking requirements

There must be a single account at a deposit-taking institution in Victoria. This account must be established in the organisation’s name and be used for all financial transactions relating to the conduct of the raffle.

Where the prize value of a raffle exceeds $20,000, the community or charitable organisation to benefit MUST obtain a Minor Gaming Permit to conduct the raffle.

1. Sale of tickets

(a) The number of tickets printed must not exceed the number authorised by the permit.
(b) Tickets must only be sold during the period authorised by the permit.
(c) The responsible person must ensure that sufficient information is obtained to identify and locate the person to whom the ticket is sold.
(d) A person who sells tickets:

• must be authorised by the permit holder or responsible person to do so; and
• cannot be remunerated, other than for reasonable out of pocket expenses, (whether by way of ticket seller’s prize or otherwise) unless authorised in the raffle’s permit conditions. In the event that remuneration is offered (ie the responsible person for the raffle is not an employee of the organisation or charity and has an agreement to promote/conduct the raffle for reward), the company name and number must be printed on every ticket or on all material advertising the raffle.

(e) The following must be printed on each ticket:

• the name of the minor gaming permit holder
• the minor gaming permit number
• the ticket price
• the maximum number of tickets authorised by the minor gaming permit
• a description of each prize and its retail value
• when and where the raffle will be drawn
• the method of publication or notification of results
• details of any book-buyer’s prize authorised under the minor gaming permit
• if the whole or part of the proceeds are for a political party – the name of the political party
• if the nominee is not an employee of the raffle permit holder and will receive payment (other than reasonable out of pocket expenses), or the raffle permit holder or the nominee has an agreement or arrangement with a person (other than an employee of the permit holder) to promote or conduct the raffle for reward, that fact (including the name and, if applicable, ACN of the nominee or the person promoting or conducting the raffle for reward) must be printed on every ticket or on all material advertising the raffle.

(f) A ticket in the raffle may only be a ticket in another raffle if authorised on the permit.

2. The raffle draw

(a) The raffle must be drawn on the day authorised by the minor gaming permit.
(b) The method of the draw must allow each ticket in the draw a random and equal chance of being drawn.
(c) If there is more than one prize being offered, the first ticket drawn must win the first prize. ‘First prize’ is defined as the most valuable prize offered in the raffle. ‘Reverse draw’ raffles are not allowed.
(d) A ticket which has been drawn is not eligible to be drawn again, unless authorised by the permit.

3. Winner notification and prize distribution

(a) The results of the draw must be published and winners notified in accordance with the information printed on the tickets.
(b) Prizes must be delivered to winners within 28 days after the draw.

4. Keeping of records

The permit holder conducting the raffle must ensure accurate records are kept for a period of three years of:

• the manner in which tickets to the raffle were sold and how tickets sales were publicised;
• the names of the people to whom tickets were issued for sale and, for each person, how many tickets were sold, how many tickets were returned and how much money was remitted;
• when and how the raffle was drawn; and
• the names and addresses of the winners and a description (including the retail value) of their respective prizes.

5. Disposal of unclaimed prizes

In the event a winner does not claim a prize in a raffle and the person who conducted the raffle cannot, after a reasonable effort, find a winner of the prize, the community or charitable organisation to benefit from the raffle:

• must ensure the prize is retained for three months after the draw; or
• if the prize is livestock or property of a perishable nature, may sell the prize in a way that brings a reasonable price and retain the proceeds (after deducting the reasonable costs of the sale) for 12 months after the draw.
• If the prize has still not been claimed after 12 months the community or charitable organisation must sell or otherwise dispose of the prize, if this has not already been done, and pay the proceeds (after deducting the reasonable costs of the sale or disposal) to the Treasurer for payment into the Consolidated Fund.

6. Banking requirements

The permit holder must keep and maintain a single account, at an authorised deposit-taking institution in Victoria. This account must be established in the organisation’s name and be used for all financial transactions relating to the conduct of the raffle.