TL;DR: BC charitable gaming in 2026
- Verdict: A registered BC charity or nonprofit can sell raffle tickets online, but only under specific conditions, and a fully electronic, real-time ticket sale requires a certified Electronic Raffle System (ERS) that Zeffy is not.
- What works: Three clear license classes (A, B, C) with published revenue thresholds and fees; non-ERS online payment and ordering allowed on all three classes with IGCO general-manager approval; Zeffy fits the payment and record-keeping half of that non-ERS path.
- What doesn't: There's no Class D. Real-time online ticket sales require a certified ERS on a Class A license only. Class B and Class C can't use random number generators for the draw.
- Right fit when: You're a registered BC charity, religious group or community organization running ticket raffles, 50/50 draws or fair/exhibition gaming events.
- Worth considering if: Your event needs real-time, fully electronic ticket sales. You'll need a certified ERS from a registered gaming services provider, not just a payment platform.
Table of contents
British Columbia's charitable gaming rules were rewritten in April 2026. New statute, new regulator, new governing documents. If you've run a raffle in BC before, some of what you remember is now out of date, and most of the guides on the open web haven't caught up.
This guide walks through the current rules end to end: the three license classes (yes, three), how to apply, the two legally distinct paths for selling tickets online, where the money has to sit before you sell a single ticket, and what a payment platform like Zeffy can and can't do inside all of that.
What changed in April 2026
The single most important update: BC replaced its charitable gaming regime on April 13, 2026. Three things changed at once.
- New statute. The Gaming Control Act [SBC 2022] c.29 came into force. The 2002 Gaming Control Act was repealed by section 234 of the new Act, effective April 13, 2026.
- New regulator. The Independent Gambling Control Office (IGCO) was established in 2026, replacing the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch (GPEB) as BC's regulator of gambling and horse racing. The decision-maker is the general manager of the IGCO. BCLC remains the operator, not the licensor.
- New governing documents. The Licensed Charitable Gaming Event Guidance (updated 2026-04-01) and the Licensed Charitable Gaming Event Terms and Conditions (updated 2026-03-31) replaced the older Licensed Charitable Gaming Rules on April 13, 2026.
Anything you find online that names GPEB as the current regulator, cites the 2002 Act, or points to the old Licensed Charitable Gaming Rules PDF is out of date. Confirm current details with the IGCO before you file.
For a small nonprofit: if your last raffle was before April 2026, don't reuse the paperwork. Start from the current IGCO Guidance and Terms and Conditions this time round. The class definitions and fee thresholds moved.
Do you actually need a license?
Before anything else: in British Columbia, licensed charitable gaming has three elements, and all three must be present for an activity to count as gaming.
- Consideration. Players pay or exchange something of value to enter.
- Prize. An award of money or something of value.
- Chance. The outcome isn't pre-determined or decided by skill alone.
If your fundraiser has all three, you need an IGCO license. That covers ticket raffles, 50/50 draws, bingo, pull-tickets (break-open tickets), wheels of fortune, and social occasion casinos. A silent auction, by contrast, isn't gaming (no chance element), and a free prize draw with no purchase required isn't gaming (no consideration). Those don't need a gaming license.
For a small nonprofit: if you're running a ticket raffle or a 50/50 at your gala, you need a license. Don't skip this step assuming a small draw is exempt. There's no "under $500 is fine" carve-out. The smallest tier is a Class B license at $25.
The four gates every BC raffle has to clear
Every provincial raffle question in Canada boils down to the same four gates. It's worth answering them in order, because a charity can hold a perfectly valid license and still be in breach because of the platform it used.
- 1. Can a registered charity or nonprofit run a raffle at all in BC? Yes, under the Gaming Control Act, if you meet IGCO's eligibility requirements and hold the correct license class.
- 2. Can tickets be sold online? Conditional. BC has two legally distinct online paths (certified ERS and non-ERS online payment or ordering), and they're not interchangeable. Details below.
- 3. Can tickets be paid for by credit or debit card? Conditional. Where online payment is approved, the payment processing must comply with Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards. There's no blanket "cards are always fine" rule in the BC materials.
- 4. Does the platform itself have to be licensed? Yes for a certified ERS: it must be provided by a gaming services provider registered by the general manager (GCA s.68, s.69, T&C Term 20). For non-ERS online payment and ordering, whether the payment vendor itself needs registration isn't settled by the published text. Confirm with the IGCO.
Gate 4 is the one small nonprofits skip. It's also the decisive one in BC.
The three BC license classes: A, B and C
The current IGCO Terms and Conditions define three license classes: A, B and C. There's no Class D. If you've seen a Class D reference in an older guide, it refers to a category that isn't part of the current framework.
Class A: charitable and religious organizations
Class A is for charitable or religious organizations. Per the current Terms and Conditions, "there are no limits on the gross revenue, individual prize values, or ticket prices associated with this licence. However, if gross revenue is expected to exceed $250,000, the licensee must employ two registered gaming workers." Class A is also the only class that can be approved for real-time online ticket sales through a certified Electronic Raffle System.
Class A fees by projected gross revenue:
- $500 for events at or above $250,000
- $250 for $50,000 to under $250,000
- $150 for $20,000 to under $50,000
For a small nonprofit: if you're close to the $20,000 gross-revenue line and you might tip over it, apply Class A. It's the class with headroom and it's the only class that can ever run a real-time online raffle.
Class B: community fundraising
Class B is for community organizations running smaller draws. The Terms and Conditions cap it hard: "individual prize values cannot exceed $500 (at fair market value) and the maximum amount paid for a single entry to win the prize cannot exceed $2 [...] projected gross revenue cannot exceed $20,000 per licence."
Class B also has an important constraint: the draw itself must not use random number generator (RNG) software. Per IGCO, doing so contravenes the Gaming Control Act and the Criminal Code.
Class B fees:
- $75 for projected gross revenue $5,000 to $20,000
For a small nonprofit: Class B at $25 is the entry-level license most community groups actually need for a one-off draw. If your ticket price is above $2, or your top prize is above $500, you're not eligible for Class B and you need Class A.
Class C: fairs and exhibitions
Class C covers gaming events at registered provincial fairs and exhibitions and, per the Terms and Conditions, "must take place on the grounds of the fair or exhibition." Class C, like Class B, can't use an RNG draw.
Class C fees by projected gross revenue: $500 / $250 / $150, on the same tier structure as Class A.
For a small nonprofit: Class C is only relevant if you're running gaming on the physical grounds of a registered fair or exhibition. Otherwise, ignore it.
What about "Class D"?
Older BC guides and search results still surface a "Class D gaming license" category. It's not part of the current framework. The IGCO Terms and Conditions define three classes only: A, B and C. If your event was previously handled as a Class D, work through the Class A and Class B definitions above and file under the class that fits.
Class A, B and C at a glance
|
| Class A | Charitable and religious organizations | No limits on gross revenue, prize value or ticket price. Two registered gaming workers required above $250,000. | $500 / $250 / $150 / $75 by projected gross revenue | Yes. Real-time via certified ERS with general-manager approval, or non-ERS online payment or ordering with approval. | Yes, via approved ERS |
| Class B | Community fundraising | Prize value up to $500. Single-entry price up to $2. Gross revenue up to $20,000 per license. | $75 ($5k to $20k) / $25 (under $5k) | Non-ERS online payment or ordering only, with general-manager approval. No real-time ERS. | No |
| Class C | Registered provincial fairs and exhibitions (on the grounds only) | Set on a per-event basis by IGCO | $500 / $250 / $150 by projected gross revenue | Non-ERS online payment or ordering only, with general-manager approval. | No |
Confirm current fees and thresholds with the IGCO before you file. The fee schedule moved with the April 2026 documents.
50/50 draws in British Columbia
A 50/50 draw is one of the most common charitable gaming formats in BC. Half of gross ticket sales go to a single winner; the other half goes to your cause. In IGCO's licensing framework, a 50/50 is a ticket raffle, so it fits under the same class structure as any other raffle.
Which class you file under depends on projected gross revenue and how you want to sell tickets:
- Small in-person 50/50 at an event, under $20,000 in projected gross and no draw software: Class B is usually the right fit. Ticket price capped at $2, prize value (in this case, the winner's half) constrained by the $20,000 cap on gross revenue, no RNG draw.
- Larger 50/50, or one that needs a real-time electronic draw: Class A. This is also the only route if you want to sell tickets in real time online through a certified ERS.
- 50/50 at a registered fair or exhibition, on the grounds: Class C.
If you want to sell 50/50 tickets online, work through the online-sales section below carefully. Class B and Class C can't use RNG-based draw software, and the real-time ERS path is only open to Class A.
For a small nonprofit: if your 50/50 is a bucket-and-paper-tickets format at a single event, Class B at $25 is almost certainly the right call. If you want to sell tickets online in the days leading up to the event and print or email the tickets manually, you can still do that under Class B with general-manager approval, without touching a certified ERS.
How to apply for a BC gaming license
Applications go through IGCO's Gaming Online Service. Here's the practical sequence.
- 1. Apply at least 10 business days before your event. This is a hard minimum, not a suggestion. Larger Class A events benefit from more lead time; build the buffer into your planning.
- 2. Read the current governing documents first. Open the Licensed Charitable Gaming Event Guidance and the Licensed Charitable Gaming Event Terms and Conditions on IGCO's site before you fill anything in. Most refusals come from missing a rule the applicant never opened.
- 3. Confirm eligibility. Registered BC charities, religious groups and community organizations qualify if their purpose and activities meet IGCO's eligibility framework. Have your incorporation or registration documents, board roster, most recent financials and a description of your community-benefit programs ready.
- 4. Create a Gaming Online Service account. One account per organization; reuse it for every future application.
- 5. Complete the application form. You'll need the organization's legal name and address, event dates, times and locations, event type (ticket raffle, 50/50, bingo and so on), ticket numbers and pricing, prize details, a clear statement of how net proceeds benefit the community, and the required board contacts.
- 6. Pay the license fee. Between $25 and $500 depending on class and projected gross revenue (see the tables above).
- 7. Wait for the decision and receive the license and Terms and Conditions. Both must be available on-site at the event.
If you plan to sell tickets online, this is the point at which you tell IGCO. Real-time ERS sales require an addendum and a contract with a registered gaming services provider. Non-ERS online payment or ordering also needs general-manager approval; describe your setup in the application.
For a small nonprofit: the 10-business-day minimum is deceptive. It's the earliest IGCO wants your application. It's not the timeline you should plan around. Two to four weeks of lead time is safer, and Class A events with online sales need longer.
Selling raffle tickets online in BC
BC has two legally distinct paths for selling raffle tickets online. This is the single most misunderstood part of the rules, and it's where a well-intentioned charity gets into trouble.
Path A: certified ERS, Class A only
Per Terms and Conditions section 3.10.1, "a licensee with a Class A ticket raffle licence may be approved by the general manager to use certified ERS to operate their ticket raffles." An ERS is defined by real-time, fully electronic sale and delivery: "selling raffle tickets through the internet by way of a real-time processing and payment system where the purchaser's ticket is paid for and delivered immediately online."
The ERS itself must be provided by a gaming services provider registered by the IGCO general manager (T&C Term 20). Registration is a formal, paid category ("Gaming event services provider [...] $1,250" annual). This is the path used by lottery-technology suppliers, not by general-purpose payment platforms.
Path B: non-ERS online payment or ordering, all classes
Per Terms and Conditions section 3.10.2, non-ERS technology is permitted with general-manager approval and includes: "Live streaming / Electronic funds transfer (EFT) / Online payment / Online ordering / Scanning and emailing manually generated raffle tickets." This path is open to Class A, B and C.
Under this path, the licensee (your organization) still generates and delivers the ticket manually. A payment platform handles the transaction; you print or write the ticket, then mail it or scan and email it to the buyer. The draw itself is done by the licensee in person, not by software. Class B and Class C are additionally barred from using any RNG-based draw software.
Card payments
Card payments for online raffle sales are conditional. If the general manager approves a licensee to accept electronic payments, the licensee must ensure the payment processing provider and payment system are compliant with Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards Council standards. There's no blanket permission for card payments on raffle tickets in the BC materials.
Purchaser location
Per Terms and Conditions section 3.7, "Section 7(b) of the Gaming Events Regulation prohibits gaming event licensees from permitting an individual to participate in a gaming event while the individual is outside of British Columbia." The legal test is the purchaser's location at the time of participation, not their billing address. Confirm with the IGCO how your specific checkout can meet that test.
For a small nonprofit: if your instinct is "we want to sell tickets online but keep the draw simple," Path B is almost always the right answer. Class B, general-manager approval, PCI-compliant payment processor, tickets printed or emailed by you, draw done by hand at the event. It's the simpler legal route, and it's the route most small BC charities can actually run.
Where the money has to land: the Gaming Account
This is the trap small charities discover after the fact, and it's the one worth writing down before you sell a single ticket.
If your projected gross gaming revenue is above $20,000, IGCO requires you to hold the proceeds in a dedicated Gaming Account. Once you have one, it must be used for all of that licensee's gaming events, not just the one that pushed you over the threshold. Cheques drawn on it must carry the words "Gaming Account." Bank statements from that account form part of your post-event report.
Two things follow from that:
- Open the Gaming Account before you start selling tickets, not after. Retroactive record-keeping is where charities lose the paper trail that IGCO will later ask for.
- Even below $20,000, the discipline of a dedicated deposit account for gaming proceeds is worth having. Reconciliation is far easier at reporting time.
One of the pains we hear most often from treasurers is discovering the separate-account rule only after tickets are already sold. In one interview, a fundraiser described realizing after the fact "that when we sold our raffle tickets through an online platform to pay for them [...] you have to have a separate [account]." That framing isn't BC-specific, but the lesson is: check the account rule before the campaign, not after.
There's a related instinct that comes up a lot: "I get a little nervous when money touches too many hands." That's exactly what the Gaming Account rule is trying to prevent. Proceeds go into one identifiable account; every disbursement is traceable; the audit trail exists whether or not anyone asks for it.
For a small nonprofit: even if you're below $20,000 and technically don't need a Gaming Account, open a dedicated deposit account for the raffle anyway. It costs nothing and it saves the treasurer a weekend of reconciliation in January.
Can you use Zeffy to sell raffle tickets online in British Columbia?
Short answer: for Path A (real-time certified ERS), no. For Path B (non-ERS online payment or ordering), Zeffy fits the payment and record-keeping half of that workflow, and your organization still does the ticket generation and the draw.
Here's the honest breakdown.
What Zeffy is not. Zeffy isn't a certified Electronic Raffle System. Zeffy isn't on the IGCO-approved ERS vendor list and doesn't hold GLI certification. Zeffy isn't a registered gaming services provider in British Columbia. If your event is a Class A raffle that needs real-time electronic ticket sales, you'll need a supplier from IGCO's approved list for the ticket sale itself, and you should confirm the current list with the IGCO.
What Zeffy can be used for in a Path B setup. Under IGCO's Terms and Conditions 3.10.2, non-ERS technology explicitly includes "Online payment / Online ordering / Scanning and emailing manually generated raffle tickets." Where a Class A, B or C licensee has the general manager's approval to use non-ERS online payment or ordering, Zeffy can only be used as a method for accepting payment and recording the ticket purchase. Your organization still generates the ticket, delivers it, and conducts the draw.
What Zeffy is genuinely useful for around the event. Free event ticketing for the gala or dinner your raffle sits inside, general donation collection alongside the raffle, automatic tax receipts for donations (raffle ticket purchases themselves aren't tax-deductible per CRA), and the donor record that follows. Zeffy is 100% free for nonprofits: no platform fee, no transaction fee, no credit card fee. Ever. Zeffy is trusted by 100K+ nonprofits who've raised $2B+ on the platform.
None of the above is legal advice. Confirm with the IGCO whether your specific setup meets Path B's requirements, and treat the ERS list as the authority on Path A.
Record-keeping and post-event reporting
IGCO expects a financial report within 90 days of your last event, winners published within 10 days of the draw, and records kept for 5 years. That's a long window, and the paperwork you didn't think to keep will be the paperwork you need.
At minimum, keep:
- Ticket sequences and numbering (every issued and unissued ticket accounted for)
- Sales records with dates, locations and who handled the sale
- Cash-handling and reconciliation forms
- Winner selection documentation, including witnessing
- Prize distribution confirmation, signed by the winner
- Every expense receipt tied to the event
- Bank statements from the Gaming Account (or dedicated deposit account) showing deposits and expenditures
Two people should count cash. Reconcile as you go, not the week the report is due. And keep the records for the full five years even after the report is filed.
For a small nonprofit: the five-year rule catches people out. Don't shred the raffle box in January. Store it, label it with the event date, and put a note in the treasurer's calendar for five years out.
Common mistakes on BC gaming license applications
- Applying too late. Ten business days is the floor, not the target. Aim for weeks, not days.
- Filing for the wrong class. Projecting $19,500 and filing Class B is fine right up until ticket sales tip over $20,000, at which point you've technically run an unlicensed Class A. If you're anywhere near the line, file Class A.
- Assuming Class B or C can run an RNG draw. They can't. RNG-based draw software is barred on both. If you want an electronic draw, you need Class A and a certified ERS.
- Conflating a payment platform with an ERS. A PCI-compliant payment platform isn't a certified ERS. Real-time online ticket sales require a certified ERS. Non-ERS online payment or ordering is a separate, more permissive path with different rules.
- Using an out-of-BC purchaser check that only looks at billing address. The legal test is where the purchaser is at the time of participation, not their billing address. Confirm with the IGCO how your checkout meets that test.
- Skipping the Gaming Account. Above $20,000 it's required. Below $20,000 it's still the easiest reconciliation you'll ever do.
- Working from a pre-April-2026 guide. Anything that names GPEB as the regulator or cites section 12 of the old Licensed Charitable Gaming Rules is out of date. The Guidance and Terms and Conditions replaced that document on April 13, 2026.
IGCO resources and contact information
The IGCO is the authoritative source for every rule in this guide. Start there for anything you're unsure about, including the current approved ERS provider list, the Gaming Events Regulation, and whether a non-ERS online-payment vendor needs gaming-services-provider registration under GCA s.68. Confirm with the IGCO.
Once your license is in hand and you know which path fits, you can run the non-gaming parts of your event on Zeffy free of charge. No platform fee, no transaction fee, no credit card fee. Ever.
Is there a Class D gaming license in BC?
No. The current IGCO Terms and Conditions define three license classes: Class A, Class B and Class C. There's no Class D. Older references to Class D pre-date the April 2026 governing documents.
Who regulates charitable gaming in BC in 2026?
The Independent Gambling Control Office (IGCO). IGCO was established in 2026 and replaced the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch (GPEB). BCLC is the operator of provincial gambling; IGCO is the licensor for charitable gaming.
Can a BC charity sell raffle tickets online?
Conditional, and there are two legally distinct paths. Real-time online sale and delivery (an Electronic Raffle System) is available only to Class A licensees, using a certified ERS from a registered gaming services provider. Non-ERS online payment or online ordering, with tickets generated and delivered by the licensee, is available to Class A, Class B and Class C with the general manager's approval.
Does Zeffy hold a BC gaming supplier license or ERS certification?
No. Zeffy isn't on the IGCO-approved ERS vendor list and doesn't hold GLI certification. Zeffy isn't a registered gaming services provider in British Columbia. Where a licensee has approval to use non-ERS online payment or ordering, Zeffy can only be used as a method for accepting payment and recording the ticket purchase; the licensee still produces the ticket and conducts the draw.
Do I need a Gaming Account for my raffle?
Above $20,000 in projected gross revenue, yes. Once required, the Gaming Account must be used for all of that licensee's gaming events, and cheques drawn on it must carry the words "Gaming Account." Below $20,000, IGCO doesn't require a Gaming Account, but a dedicated deposit account for gaming proceeds is worth having anyway.
How much does a BC gaming license cost?
Class A: $500 (at or above $250,000 projected gross), $250 ($50,000 to under $250,000), $150 ($20,000 to under $50,000), or $75 (under $20,000). Class B: $75 ($5,000 to $20,000) or $25 (under $5,000). Class C: $500 / $250 / $150 on the same tier structure as Class A. Confirm current fees with the IGCO.
Can Class B or Class C events use random number generator draw software?
No. Per the IGCO Terms and Conditions, Class B and Class C licensees must not conduct any draw carried out through computer software or applications that use or simulate the use of random number generators. RNG-based draws are only available through a certified ERS on a Class A license.
Are raffle ticket purchases tax-deductible in Canada?
No. CRA doesn't treat the purchase of a raffle ticket as a charitable donation, because the purchaser receives something of value (the chance to win a prize) in exchange. Registered charities can't issue a charitable donation receipt for raffle ticket sales. A separate donation made alongside the raffle can be receipted normally.
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