Picture this: Your fundraising campaign is live, ticket sales are rolling in through your digital platform, and your team is celebrating. Then, a notification hits your dashboard. A supporter from Western Australia just bought a ticket, but your raffle software doesn’t account for WA’s strict multi-day permit laws. Suddenly, you have to issue a refund, manage a frustrated user, and audit your compliance settings.

Because raffle and lottery laws are governed at the state and territory level—rather than nationally—navigating the rules can feel like a minefield. What is completely exempt from licensing in Sydney could be illegal without a formal permit in Perth.

To help you stay compliant, we’ve put together a practical state-by-state overview of Australian raffle rules — with links to the relevant regulators for running a legal raffle in every corner of Australia.

The Golden Rule: The “Where” Matters Most

If you are running an online raffle or marketing your campaign across borders, you must comply with the laws of every state where tickets are sold, not just where your organization is registered. If a state requires a permit for your prize value, you must obtain it before opening ticket sales to residents of that state.

State-by-State Raffle Rules Breakdown

1. Western Australia (WA)

• Regulatory Body: Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety 
• The Trap: WA is notoriously strict with digital or most multi-day campaigns. Unlike other states where exemptions are based strictly on minor prize pools, WA requires a Standard Lottery Permit for almost all multi-day raffles.
• Permit Exemptions: Only allowed for same-day, same-premises lotteries (prizes up to $2,000) or private lotteries (internal club/workplace members).
• Key Law to Know: If your prize pool hits $30,000 or more, WA requires you to provide a bank guarantee or security deposit for the full retail value of the prizes before issuing a permit.

2. New South Wales (NSW)

• Regulatory Body: NSW Fair Trading
• Permit Threshold: No permit is required for standard community raffles if the total prize value is $30,000 or less. If your prize exceeds $30,000, you must apply for a Community Gaming Authority.
• Key Law to Know: NSW mandates a “proceeds rule”—total prize value for one session must be at least 50% of gross proceeds, and the benefiting organization must achieve at least a 40% of gross proceeds from the raffle.

3. Victoria (VIC)

• Regulatory Body: Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC)
• Permit Threshold: No permit is required if the total prize value is $20,000 or less (this threshold is indexed annually to CPI). Anything over this amount requires a minor gaming permit / raffle permit.
• Key Law to Know: If your total prize value is $500 or more, you are legally required to use printed or systematically secure digital tickets that contain specific disclosure text (draw date, price, purpose).

4. Queensland (QLD)

• Regulatory Body: Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR)
• Permit Threshold: QLD operates on a tiered system based on gross ticket sales, not prize values:
  • Category 1 (Sales up to $2,000): No permit required.
  • Category 2 (Sales $2,001 to $50,000): No permit required for eligible non-profits.
  • Category 3 (Sales over $50,000): A Category 3 Gaming Licence is strictly required.
• Key Law to Know: The total value of the prize pool must be at least 20% of the estimated gross ticket sales.

5. South Australia (SA)

• Regulatory Body: Consumer and Business Services (CBS)
• Permit Threshold: Known as “Minor Lotteries” if the total prize value is $5,000 or less—no permit required. “Major Lotteries” with prizes over $5,000 require a formal licence.
• Key Law to Know: SA enforces minimum return-to-charity percentages. For Minor Lotteries, at least 20% of gross proceeds must go to the approved purpose; for Major Lotteries, that number jumps to 35%.

6. Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

• Regulatory Body: ACT Gambling and Racing Commission
• Permit Threshold: Exempt from a permit if the total prize value is $2,500 or less. Anything above $2,500 requires a permit.
• Key Law to Know: The ACT has a tight ticket-selling cap relative to prizes. For prize pools under $10,000, total ticket sales cannot exceed 5 times the value of the prizes.

7. Northern Territory (NT)

• Regulatory Body: Licensing NT
• Permit Threshold: Tiered based on total ticket value for sale:
  • Sales up to $5,000: No permit required.
  • Sales $5,001 to $20,000: Minor Lottery Permit required.
  • Sales over $20,000: Major Lottery Permit required.
• Key Law to Know: NT has the highest prize-to-ticket ratio in Australia—the total prize value must be at least one-third (33.3%) of the total value of tickets available for sale. Furthermore, alcohol cannot be offered as a principal prize.

8. Tasmania (TAS)

• Regulatory Body: Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission
• Permit Threshold: No permit required if the total prize value is $10,000 or less. Anything over requires a Minor Gaming Permit.
• Key Law to Know: Tasmania enforces a hard cap on cash prizes. Total cash (or cash-equivalent vouchers) cannot exceed $5,000 per raffle. It also explicitly bans “Reverse Raffles” (where the first ticket drawn does not win the major prize).

2026 Quick Reference Compliance Matrix

Best Practices for Modern Organizers

1. Geo-Fence Your Ticket Sales: If you do not have the budget or timeline to apply for a WA or ACT permit, configure your digital fundraising platform to reject transactions from billing addresses outside of your fully permitted states.
2. Review Universal Prize Prohibitions: Across all states, tobacco products, firearms, ammunition, cosmetic surgery vouchers, and unregulated gambling products are universally banned as raffle prizes.
3. Control Alcohol Prizes: If you include wine or liquor hampers, ensure your terms specify that both ticket sellers and buyers must be over 18 years of age. In WA, alcohol prizes must have a total retail value of under $1,000.

Disclaimer: Raffle regulations are subject to structural changes and regular legal amendments. Always verify your specific campaign metrics with the relevant state gambling authority before printing tickets or launching online portals.