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Hold gaming under a licence
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Alberta stands fully covered: its own filings and guidance stand in the books beside the federal ones.
A raffle, a bingo or a draw runs only under a licence.
Run bingos, casinos, raffles and pull tickets only under an AGLC licence, spend the proceeds only on approved charitable purposes, and keep the gaming records for two years after AGLC reporting. Binds: Alberta societies holding an AGLC gaming licence (Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act, RSA 2000, c G-1).
The law’s own words
“Only eligible charities or religious groups can apply for a gaming licence.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 1.2.1 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“AGLC is responsible for administering the charitable gaming model in Alberta.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 1.2.2 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“Only groups that are charitable by mandate and mandate-related activities are eligible for gaming licensing.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 1.1 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“An eligible group must obtain an AGLC gaming licence before conducting a gaming activity.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 2.1.1 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“Groups applying for a licence must have actively delivered a charitable program within the previous 12 months.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 2.4.1 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“(a) incorporated non-profit organizations/corporations: − registered charities − non-profit organizations/corporations (including agricultural and community associations) … (d) individuals not included under (a), (b) or (c) must apply to the Charities and Community Support section for approval … (f) unincorporated volunteer groups that provide a sports program for children and youth and the three signing authorities are identified as the volunteer coaches.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 2.3.1 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“active” means that a group delivers its charitable program on an on-going basis to the community in Alberta.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 2.3.2 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“All gaming proceeds, after expenses, must be used for approved charitable purposes only.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 4.1.2 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“Groups may only use gaming proceeds for the disbursement categories listed in this section (4.1) once approved by AGLC.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 4.1.4 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“Groups intending to use proceeds for a disbursement category not listed in section 4.1 must receive approval from AGLC, prior to making the disbursement.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 4.1.7 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“Groups must obtain AGLC approval prior to donating gaming proceeds to another group or organization.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 4.2.1 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“(d) Groups may donate their gaming proceeds in support of disaster relief efforts, as determined by AGLC.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 4.2.3 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“Gaming proceeds shall not be used, directly or indirectly, to benefit any member of the licensed group, or a family member, employee of the group, any person who is related to or affiliated in any way with the licensed group, or a licensing official, contractor or supplier (in connection with gaming), unless it is an expense reimbursement allowed in section 4.2.5.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 4.2.9 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“All records pertaining to the operation of the gaming activity shall be kept for a period of not less than two years following the year of AGLC financial reporting and be available to AGLC representatives on request.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 4.6.1 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“Whenever feasible, financial records for each licensed gaming activity shall be maintained separate from other non-gaming financial records of the group.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 4.6.3 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“All financial records shall be verified by two executive members of the group.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 4.6.4 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“The use of gaming proceeds requires two signatures of executive members of the group.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 4.6.6 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“Two executive members of the group must approve in writing all operational and administrative expenditures and verify the accuracy of contributions to, and disbursements from, the gaming account.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 4.6.7 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“A raffle where the total ticket value is $20,000 or less may be licensed by any eligible charitable or religious organization or group.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, Small raffles (total ticket value $20,000 and less), 3.17 · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“If your group is a registered charity or non-profit operating in Alberta, in most cases you will be eligible for a raffle licence.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Popular raffle eligibility questions · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“In Alberta, it is illegal to run certain forms of gaming activities without a licence.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Legal or not? · Read it at Justice Laws · Verified 2026-11-11
“No person may conduct or manage a gaming activity unless (a) the person holds a gaming licence that authorizes the activity, and (b) the gaming activity takes place in a licensed facility if the board designates in its policies or the gaming licence that the gaming activity may only be conducted in a licensed facility.”
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta), s. 36(1) · Read it at Alberta.ca · Verified 2026-11-11
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 4.1.4 and 4.1.7
“Groups may only use gaming proceeds for the disbursement categories listed in this section (4.1) once approved by AGLC.” “Groups intending to use proceeds for a disbursement category not listed in section 4.1 must receive approval from AGLC, prior to making the disbursement.”
Source: AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 4.1.4, 4.1.7 · Checked 2026-11-11
Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act (Alberta) — AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 2.3.2
““active” means that a group delivers its charitable program on an on-going basis to the community in Alberta.”
Source: AGLC, Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, 2.3.2 · Checked 2026-11-11