Verdict: Yes, a Saskatchewan charity can sell raffle tickets online, but only through a system that's independently lab-certified, supplied by an SLGA-registered gaming supplier, approved by SLGA in advance, and hosted physically inside Saskatchewan. Zeffy isn't that system, and neither is most software.
What works: A flat $52.50 licence covers both Regular ($2,501 to $50,000) and Large ($50,001+) raffles. Small Raffles (up to $2,500) are free. 50/50 draws are expressly in scope. There's a written carve-out that lets you use ordinary software to advertise a raffle and take orders paid for and delivered offline.
What doesn't: A full online-ticket-sales channel needs a certified Electronic Raffle System, a registered supplier and SLGA pre-approval, and the system must be physically hosted in Saskatchewan. Tickets can only be sold to people located in Saskatchewan. Regular and Large raffles require a separate lottery bank account.
Ideal for: Registered charities and religious organisations running a one-off Saskatchewan raffle or 50/50 for a charitable purpose, planning at least 15 working days lead time (60 days for Large).
Worth considering if: Your prize pool is $2,500 or less. The Small Raffle tier is free, the paperwork is shorter, and there's no separate-account requirement.
Table of contents
Saskatchewan has one of the clearer, cheaper raffle-licence regimes in Canada. Most charitable raffles cost a flat $52.50 to licence through the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA), and Small Raffles with total prizes of $2,500 or less are free. But the online-sales rules are stricter than most guides admit, and there's a separate bank-account rule that catches organisers after the fact. This guide walks the four gates every Saskatchewan raffle has to pass, in order.
Sourcing note: SLGA's website (slga.com) was not reachable from our environment at the time of writing, so every fee and threshold below was read on SLGA's own pages and PDFs via the Wayback Machine (newest captures: fee schedule 2026-05-09, raffles page 2026-04-21). Re-confirm the current figures on SLGA's permit fees page before you apply.
If your organisation is on-reserve, SLGA isn't your regulator. On-reserve charitable gaming is licensed by Indigenous Gaming Regulators Inc. (IGR). Skip to the on-reserve note below.
This article is general information about Saskatchewan's charitable gaming rules. It's not legal advice. SLGA is the authoritative source. Consult the Charitable Gaming Policy and Procedure Manual and a qualified professional for situation-specific questions.
Who regulates raffles in Saskatchewan
Charitable raffles in Saskatchewan are regulated by the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA), under The Alcohol and Gaming Regulation Act, 1997. All gaming in the province is illegal unless it's licensed by SLGA or operated by a government, and that includes 50/50 draws, meat draws, prize raffles and any online ticket sales tied to them.
For a small nonprofit: if you're running a raffle off-reserve in Saskatchewan for a charitable or religious purpose, SLGA is your regulator and you need a licence, however small the draw.
Is your organisation eligible
SLGA can only licence charitable or religious organisations, and the proceeds must be used for a charitable or religious purpose. Both tests have to be met. The four accepted purposes are:
- Other purposes of broad community benefit
Section 6 of the Charitable Gaming Policy and Procedure Manual is the primary source. If your group is new to SLGA, expect to attach incorporation papers, constitution, bylaws and minutes of the formation meeting on your first application.
For a small nonprofit: the eligibility test is broad, and community sports clubs, school parent councils, faith groups and neighbourhood associations usually qualify. The paperwork lives in the first application; renewals are lighter.
The four gates every Saskatchewan raffle has to pass
Holding a licence isn't the whole picture. A Saskatchewan raffle has to pass four separate tests, and it's gate 4 that trips most organisers up.
- 1. Can your organisation run a raffle at all? Yes, if you're a charitable or religious organisation using proceeds for a qualifying purpose (see above).
- 2. Can tickets be sold online? Yes, but only through a certified Electronic Raffle System, and only to buyers located in Saskatchewan (see the online section).
- 3. Can tickets be paid for by credit or debit card? Yes, expressly. The Raffle Terms and Conditions allow cash, cheque, money order, debit or credit card. If payment is by non-certified cheque or credit card, the money has to clear before the ticket is eligible for the draw.
- 4. Does the platform itself need to be licensed? If it's being used as an Electronic Raffle System to sell tickets or run the draw, yes: the system has to be independently lab-certified, the supplier has to be registered with SLGA, and the specific use has to be approved by SLGA in advance. This is the gate most guides skip.
For a small nonprofit: gates 1, 2 and 3 are usually easy. Gate 4 is the one to plan around, because it decides what software you can and can't use.
Small, Regular, Large: the three licence tiers
SLGA splits raffle licences into three tiers based on the total retail value of the prizes. Confirm the current fees on SLGA's permit fees page before applying, because the figures below were captured off SLGA's own pages via the Wayback Machine on 2026-05-09.
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| Small Raffle | Up to $2,500 | No fee | 7 working days | The Small Raffle Terms and Conditions is silent on online sales. Confirm with SLGA before selling online under a Small Raffle licence. |
| Regular Raffle | $2,501 to $50,000 | $52.50 | 15 working days | Yes, if the system is a certified Electronic Raffle System supplied by an SLGA-registered supplier and approved in advance. |
| Large Raffle | Over $50,000 | $52.50 | 15 working days, plus 60 days advance notification of intent | Yes, same three conditions as Regular. Large raffles may also need an irrevocable letter of credit or a trustee-held trust account. |
Figures read on SLGA's own pages via Wayback (newest capture 2026-05-09). Re-verify on the SLGA permit fees page and in the Raffle Terms and Conditions before you apply.
For a small nonprofit: if you can keep the prize pool at $2,500 or less, the Small Raffle tier is free, the paperwork is shorter, the review is faster, and the separate-bank-account rule (below) doesn't apply. That's the simplest legal route in Saskatchewan, and it's not a second-class answer.
50/50 draws in Saskatchewan
Yes, 50/50 draws need an SLGA licence. Saskatchewan's own definition of a "raffle" expressly names them: a raffle is a lottery scheme in which tickets are sold on a random chance of winning a prize, "including such schemes as 50/50 draws, elimination draws, calendar draws, sports pools and rubber duck races or derbys" (Raffle Terms and Conditions, s.1(g)).
The 50/50 rules that trip people up:
- The tier (Small, Regular or Large) is set by the maximum possible prize, not the actual payout. For an open-ended 50/50 at, say, a hockey game, you have to declare a maximum, usually by capping the number of tickets you print.
- The draw method and how the prize is collected must be spelled out on the ticket, in advertising and in the application.
- All the standard raffle rules still apply: licence number on the ticket, prize description, draw date, location.
For a small nonprofit: a 50/50 at a single event, capped so the maximum possible prize stays under $2,500, is a Small Raffle. That's the cleanest path.
Selling tickets online in Saskatchewan
This is the differentiator on this page. Saskatchewan gives a straighter answer here than most provinces, and there's a written carve-out most guides miss.
Full online ticket sales: three conditions, all required
If you want to sell raffle tickets online, the software you use counts as an Electronic Raffle System (ERS): a website, computer software or related equipment used to sell tickets, account for sales, facilitate the selection of winners or pay prizes (Raffle T&C, s.1(c)). Under s.9(a) of the Raffle Terms and Conditions, you can only use an ERS if all of the following are true:
- 1. The system meets SLGA's Integrity Certification Requirements for Electronic Raffle Systems, including certification by an independent test laboratory.
- 2. If a third party is providing the technology, that third party is a gaming supplier registered with SLGA.
- 3. Use of the system is approved by SLGA in advance, typically at the time of application.
Meeting SLGA's "Integrity Standards" is necessary but not sufficient. Independent lab certification, supplier registration and advance SLGA approval are three separate requirements.
There's a fourth practical requirement inside the Integrity Certification standard (IN.2.02): the assets that make up the ERS operating environment must be physically located within the boundaries of the Province of Saskatchewan. For most SaaS platforms this is a bigger blocker than the registration itself.
You also have to restrict sales to buyers located in Saskatchewan. Under s.8(g), "websites and/or software used to sell tickets online must restrict sales to ticket purchasers located within Saskatchewan," and "the Licensee shall ensure that ticket orders are not accepted from, or solicited or processed for, a person located outside of Saskatchewan." Every ad and communication must carry the words "Tickets may only be sold within Saskatchewan."
The s.9(c) carve-out: advertise online, take orders online, deliver and pay offline
This is the sentence to underline. Section 9(c) of the Raffle Terms and Conditions says, verbatim:
Licensees may also use websites, software, and other electronic systems to advertise raffles and to accept orders to purchase tickets that will be paid for and delivered off-line. Systems used only for these purposes are not required to be certified under SLGA Integrity Certification Requirements for Electronic Raffle Systems.
In plain English: if your website only advertises the raffle and collects orders, and the actual payment and ticket delivery happen offline (in person, by mail, by cheque received in the mail), you do not need a certified ERS. That's a real, written escape hatch in the provincial rules.
For a small nonprofit: the carve-out is the practical route for most small Saskatchewan raffles. Advertise online, take expressions of interest online, collect payment in person or by cheque, hand or mail the physical ticket. You avoid the certification, supplier-registration and Saskatchewan-hosting requirements entirely.
Can you use Zeffy to sell raffle tickets online in Saskatchewan?
Honest answer: no, not as a full online ticket-sales channel. Zeffy isn't an SLGA-certified Electronic Raffle System, isn't a registered SLGA gaming supplier, and Zeffy's infrastructure isn't physically hosted inside Saskatchewan. All three are separately required by s.9(a) of the Raffle Terms and Conditions and by SLGA's Integrity Certification standard.
Where Zeffy does fit, honestly, is around the raffle. Zeffy is free for nonprofits, used by 100K+ nonprofits across North America, and has helped raise $2B+. Here's how it fits a Saskatchewan raffle setup:
- Under the s.9(c) carve-out, you can use ordinary software to advertise the raffle and take orders that are paid for and delivered offline. Zeffy's free raffle form can host the advertising and the interest list; the physical tickets and the payment happen offline.
- For the same event's event tickets or general donations, Zeffy is free to use and doesn't fall under the ERS rules (those revenue streams aren't lottery proceeds).
- For everything else your nonprofit does around the raffle (donor records, tax receipts, follow-up), Zeffy is free.
For a small nonprofit: run the raffle itself the offline way SLGA envisions (physical drum, sold-ticket stubs, documented draw), use the s.9(c) carve-out to advertise online, and use free tools for the rest of the event. That's the compliant and cheap path.
Where the money has to land: the lottery bank account rule
This is the trap organisers report hitting after the fact. Under the Charitable Gaming Policy and Procedure Manual:
Each organization must have a separate cheque bank account that is restricted to lottery proceeds only (a separate lottery account is not required for Small Raffle, Public Amusement Raffle and Small Class C Restricted Bingo Licences).
Two unrelated signing authorities are required on the account. For a Large Raffle, SLGA may require an irrevocable letter of credit or a trustee-held trust account instead. Reporting to SLGA is due within 60 days of the final draw.
Set the account up before you sell a ticket. If ticket revenue lands in your general operating account first and then gets transferred, you're already offside on Regular and Large raffles. The Small Raffle tier is expressly exempt.
For a small nonprofit: this is a real rule and a real cause of after-the-fact clean-ups. If your prize pool pushes you into Regular tier, open the separate lottery account with your bank the same week you file the licence application.
How to apply through SLGA
SLGA runs applications through its online portal. The sequence:
- 3. Create your SLGA online account if this is your first application.
- 4. Pick the tier that matches your maximum total retail prize value: Small (up to $2,500, no fee), Regular ($2,501 to $50,000, $52.50) or Large (over $50,000, $52.50 plus additional conditions).
- 5. Fill in the raffle details: prize value and description, ticket price and quantity, sales dates, draw date and location, and how winners will be determined.
- 6. Attach supporting documents. First-time applicants add incorporation papers, constitution, bylaws and minutes of the formation meeting. Regular and Large also add projected revenues and expenses, price quotes for merchandise prizes, complete rules of play, a draft ticket, and copies of all advertising.
- 7. If you intend to sell tickets online, include a written notification with the application. Every ad has to carry "Tickets may only be sold within Saskatchewan."
- 8. Submit and wait. Standard processing is up to 15 working days for Regular and Large, 7 working days for Small. Large raffles also need 60 days advance notification of intent.
What every ticket has to show
SLGA distinguishes between Basic tickets (single-day event under the organiser's control) and Standard tickets (everything else). A Standard ticket must include:
- Your organisation's name and address
- The words "Tickets may only be sold within Saskatchewan."
- The price per ticket or group of tickets
- A description of the prize
- The exact location, date and time of the draw
- Instructions on how to claim prizes
- Any house rules or restrictions on how the draw is run
Detailed conditions are on pages 3 to 5 of the Raffle Terms and Conditions. If you need help laying it out, our guide on how to make raffle tickets walks through the design.
On-reserve raffles: IGR, not SLGA
If your organisation is on-reserve, SLGA isn't your regulator. The Alcohol and Gaming Regulation Act, 1997 defines a separate "First Nation gaming licensing authority" for on-reserve charitable gaming, and it names Indigenous Gaming Regulators Inc. (IGR). IGR's own site states that it "licences and regulates charitable lottery schemes on reserves ... including Bingos, Breakopens, Raffles." Apply to IGR, not SLGA. Confirm the current tiers, fees and any electronic-system rules directly with IGR before you sell tickets.
Do I need a raffle licence in Saskatchewan?
Yes. All gaming in Saskatchewan is illegal unless it's licensed by SLGA or operated by a government. That includes 50/50 draws, prize raffles, meat draws and online ticket sales. Every charitable raffle needs an SLGA licence, however small.
Do I need a licence for a 50/50 draw in Saskatchewan?
Yes. Saskatchewan's raffle definition expressly includes 50/50 draws. The tier is set by the maximum possible prize, so for an open-ended 50/50 you need to declare a maximum, usually by capping the number of tickets available.
Do you need a lottery licence for a silent auction in Saskatchewan?
A true silent auction is generally not a raffle, because the highest bidder pays a known amount for a specific item rather than taking a chance on a prize. But it's worth confirming directly with SLGA before you assume it, especially if the auction is bundled with a raffle or 50/50 at the same event.
Can I sell raffle tickets online in Saskatchewan?
Yes, but only through a system that meets three separate conditions in s.9(a) of the Raffle Terms and Conditions: independent lab certification, SLGA-registered supplier, and advance SLGA approval. The system's infrastructure must also be physically hosted in Saskatchewan, and sales must be restricted to buyers located in the province. If your system is only used to advertise the raffle and take orders paid for and delivered offline, s.9(c) says it doesn't need certification.
Does Zeffy hold SLGA certification as an Electronic Raffle System?
No. Zeffy isn't an SLGA-certified Electronic Raffle System and isn't a registered SLGA gaming supplier. Zeffy is useful under the s.9(c) carve-out (advertise online, take orders paid for and delivered offline), for in-person ticket sales at your event, and for the surrounding event tickets, donations and donor records.
How long does it take to get a raffle licence in Saskatchewan?
SLGA's standard processing is up to 7 working days for Small Raffles and 15 working days for Regular and Large. Large raffles also require 60 days advance notification of intent. First-time applicants attaching incorporation documents should build in extra buffer.
Do I need a separate bank account for raffle proceeds?
For Regular and Large raffles, yes. Each organisation must have a separate cheque bank account restricted to lottery proceeds only, with two unrelated signing authorities. Small Raffles, Public Amusement Raffles and Small Class C Restricted Bingo licences are exempt. Open the account before you sell a ticket.
Can raffle tickets be paid for by credit or debit card?
Yes. The Raffle Terms and Conditions (s.8(d)) expressly allow cash, cheque, money order, debit or credit card. For non-certified cheques or credit card payments, the money has to clear before the ticket is eligible for the draw.
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