Raffle License Raffle License

Qualifications

A) Applicants: A license to operate a raffle shall be issued to non-for-profit religious, charitable, labor, fraternal, educational or veterans’ organizations that have been in existence continuously for a period of at least five (5) years.

B) No license shall be issued to:
1. Any person who has been convicted of a felony
2. Any person who is or has been a professional gambler or gambling promoter.
3. Any person who is not of good moral character.
4. Any firm or corporation in which a person defined in subsection B1, B2 or B3 of this Section has a propriety, equitable or credit interest, or in which such a person is active or employed.
5. Any organization in which a person defined in subsection B1, B2 or B3 of this Section, is an officer, director, or employee, whether compensated or not.
6. Any organization in which a person defined in subsection B1, B2 or B3 of this Section, is to participate in the management or operation of a raffle as defined herein.

Regulations Governing Licensee

A) Conduct of Raffles: The conducting of raffles is subject to the following restrictions:
1. The entire net proceeds of any raffle must be exclusively devoted to the lawful purposes of the licensee permitted to conduct that game.
2. No person except a bona fide member of the licensee organization may participate in the management or operation of the raffle.
3. No person may receive any remuneration or profit for participating in the management or operation of the raffle.
4. Raffle chances may be sold or issued only within the areas specified on the license.
5. Winning chances must be determined only at the time, date and location specified on the license.
6. Any person selling raffle chances must carry a copy of the license issued for the raffle.

B) Raffle Limits:
1. The aggregate retail value of all prizes or merchandise awarded by a licensee in a single raffle shall not exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00).
2. The maximum retail value of each prize awarded by a licensee in a single raffle shall not exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00).
3. The maximum price which may be charged for each raffle chance issued or sold shall not exceed on hundred dollars ($100.00).
4. The maximum days during which chances may be issued or sold shall not exceed on three hundred sixty-five (365).
5. The license shall not be valid for more than three hundred sixty-five (365) days.

C) Raffle Manager and Bond:
1. All operation and conduct of raffles shall be under the supervision of a single raffle manager as designated on the license application.
2. The manager shall give a fidelity bond in the sum of the aggregate retail value of the prizes as set out on the application. The bond shall be in favor of the organization conditioned upon the raffle manager’s honesty in the performance of his/her duties. Said bond shall provide that notice shall be given in writing to the Village Clerk not less than thirty (30) days prior to its cancellation period. If the retail value of the prizes fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00), such bond shall be issued by a corporate surety.

D) Records: (see attached Raffle Records Submittal form)
1. Gross receipts from the operation of raffle programs shall be segregated from other revenues of the licensee (including bingo gross receipts, if bingo games are also conducted by the same licensee pursuant to license issued by the Department of Revenue of the State of Illinois), and placed in a separate account. Each organization shall have records of its raffles. The person who accounts for gross receipts and expenses from the operation of raffles shall not be the same person who accounts for other revenues of the organization.

2. Each licensee shall keep records of its gross receipts, expenses and net proceeds for each single raffle at which winning chances are determined. All reasonable operating expenses deducted from gross receipts for each single raffle shall be documented with receipts or other records indicating the amount, a description of the purchased item or service or other reason for the deduction, and the recipient. The distribution of net proceeds shall be itemized as to payee, purpose, amount and date of payment.

3. Each licensee, within thirty (30) days of the raffle, shall report to its membership and to the Village Clerk each of the following:
i. Gross receipts generated by the conducting of the raffle;
ii. An itemized list of all reasonable operating expenses which have been deducted from gross receipts;
iii. Net proceeds from the conducting of the raffle;
iv. An itemized list of the distribution of the net proceeds, and
v. A list of prize winners.

4. Records required by this section shall be preserved for three (3) years, and the organization shall make available for public inspection their records relating to the operation of a raffle at reasonable times and places.

Fees

The fee for registering to conduct any raffle in the Village shall be based on the aggregate retail value of the prize(s) to be awarded in same, as follows:

Aggregate Value                         Fee
$500 or less                                  None
$501.00 – $5,000.00                  $50.00
$5,001.00 or more                     $100.00

Approval Process

Once a completed application and appropriate bond have been received by the Village Clerk, the application will be forwarded to the Village President for final approval. Once approved, the raffle may proceed.

Post-Raffle Reporting

 Within thirty (30) days after a raffle has been concluded, the Raffle Records Submittal form must be completed and submitted to the Village Clerk. The form requires the following information:

• Gross receipts generated by the conducting of the raffle;
• An itemized list of all reasonable operating expenses which have been deducted from the gross receipts;
• Net proceeds from the conducting of the raffle;
• An itemized list of the distribution of the net proceeds; and
• A list of prize winners.

Records of the raffle must be preserved for three (3) years, and the organization shall make available for public inspection their records relating to the operation of a raffle at reasonable times and places. See Section D of the Regulations Governing Licensee in this document for information able raffle requirements.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Village Clerk at 815-522-6179. You may also refer to Ordinance 2026-03.