Rules of play are not marketing language, boilerplate text, or a formality added at the end of the licensing process. They are a core regulatory document that defines exactly how a raffle will operate.

In Canada, raffle licensing is provincial, not federal. There is no national raffle license and no centralized approval process for online raffles.Each province has its own gaming regulator with authority to determine eligibility, issue raffle licenses, set operating conditions, and enforce compliance. Selling raffle tickets online does not change this structure. If tickets are sold to residents of a province, that province’s regulator governs the raffle.

The Short Answer Not every nonprofit or community group is eligible to run a raffle in Canada. Raffle eligibility is determined by provincial gaming regulators, and eligibility depends on an organization’s purpose, governance, and who ultimately benefits from the proceeds — not simply whether the organization is incorporated or operates on a nonprofit basis.

The Short Answer Yes — online raffles are legal in Canada, but only when they are run by eligible organizations and licensed by the appropriate provincial gaming regulator. There is no federal “online raffle license,” and selling raffle tickets online without proper provincial authorization is not legal.

To run an online raffle in Canada, an organization must first confirm it is eligible, apply for and obtain a raffle license from its provincial gaming regulator, work through any regulator-requested changes during the review process, and only then launch ticket sales using software that exactly matches the approved rules. The charity—not the raffle software provider—must apply for and hold the license.