The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has launched a consultation on proposed charitable gaming policy changes. Specifically, the organization is requesting feedback on prize boards for municipally-issued charitable gaming licenses, licensing thresholds for raffles, bingo events, and the Bingo Revenue Model (BRM).
We are interested in hearing from members who manage charitable gaming to help inform feedback we may provide to the AGCO separately. As per our Legislation & Regulation advocacy pillar within our Issue Profile, we want to ensure the legislative and regulatory environment supports and enables the work of public servants. Municipal administrators require legislation that is responsive to current governance, administrative, and operational needs, and that is focused on outcomes. Moreover, our Service and Administration advocacy pillar aims to modernize municipal services provided on behalf of the province, while also ensuring that administrative and operational burdens are minimal.
The proposed charitable gaming policy changes are:
- To increase the maximum prize board for municipally-issued bingo licences from $5,500 to $10,000.
- To increase the maximum prize board for municipally-issued raffle licences from $50,000 to $100,000.
- To adjust the BRM from 55/45 (55% to operators and 45% to charities) to 60/40 (60% to operators and 40% to charities).
If you have any comments or feedback on these changes, please let us know by next Monday, August 17. Your feedback is important and may be included as part of a submission.
Further details are available on the Connect AGCO website. The deadline to complete the consultation survey is Friday, August 21.
Complete the AGCO Consultation Survey
Changes to the Break Open Ticket Licensing Framework
Separate but related, the AGCO has also announced updates to the Break Open Tickets (BOTs) licensing framework. Municipalities are authorized by the AGCO to license lottery events, including BOT lotteries, conducted by eligible charitable and not-for-profit organizations.
BOTs are made of cardboard and have perforated cover window tabs behind which are symbols revealed by tearing open the cover tab. The winning combination of symbols is specified on the back of the ticket. BOTs are also known as 'Nevada tickets' or 'pull tabs'. The new framework permits licensing of new $0.50 tickets and $1.00 tickets with counts of more than 5,000, effective July 29, 2026. Also effective as of the end of July, gaming-related suppliers have additional flexibility for ticket graphics approval.
As of September 30, 2026, all BOT licensing will be transitioned to the split revenue model (formerly section B of the Schedule of Approved Break Open Ticket Types and Associated Expense Maximums).
See further details and information in the AGCO's Information Bulletin.
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