AGLC has amended the Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook (CGPH) to simplify charitable program delivery with a continued focus on red tape reduction.

The following amendments have been made, providing charities with more flexibility for use of gaming proceeds, and reducing financial reporting requirements:

• Updating the percentage of proceeds that can be used for administrative costs from 10 per cent to 20 per cent.
• Removing the restriction on facility expenses for groups previously restricted to 50 per cent use (i.e. ethno-cultural groups and service clubs).
• Increasing the amount of gaming proceeds charitable groups may request to retain from $75,000 to $100,000.
• Increasing the length of time groups have to use gaming proceeds from two years to three years.
• Removing the requirement for a consolidated gaming account and for AGLC approval to retain gaming proceeds of $10,000 and less.
• Requiring casino applicants to prove a record of active program delivery for the previous 24 months was amended to 12 months.

These policies are effective May 2, 2022 and the amended Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook (CGPH) may be accessed on AGLC's website at aglc.ca. Please familiarize yourself with the amended policies and new requirements.

AGLC reminds anyone that wishes to conduct charitable gaming activities within the province that licensed lotteries must have an eligible charitable purpose and use proceeds in accordance with current regulations and policies. Operators are also required to include the name and the licence number in all forms of advertising.

Starting January 16, 2022, operators of unlicensed lotteries could face fines under a new penalty system. Penalties will increase for each new or repeat offence under the new tiered-fine system. Under the new, tiered system, penalties will be structured as follows:

• First offence: $500 fine.
• Second offence within five years of the first: $1,000 fine.
• Third offence within five years of the second: mandatory court appearance.

Further information on Alberta''s charitable gaming model can be found here.

Important amendments have been made to Raffle Terms & Conditions. This includes expansion of electronic bearer ticket raffles, availability of percentage draws and progressive raffles as well as simplified and improved clarity of policy for charities.

The Licensing Application Process - Raffles module has been updated to reflect these changes.

Raffle policies are effective July 13, 2021 and the amended Raffle Terms & Conditions may be accessed on AGLC's website at aglc.ca. Please familiarize yourself with the amended policies and new requirements.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Regulatory Services Division at
gaming.licensing@aglc.ca or 1-855-506-1066 extension 5.

Important amendments have been made to Raffle Terms & Conditions. Previous versions have been updated and consolidated into a single Raffle Terms & Conditions document.

The Licensing Application Process - Raffles module is in the process of being updated to reflect these changes.

Raffle policies are effective February 2, 2021 and the amended Raffle Terms & Conditions may be accessed on AGLC's website at aglc.ca. Please familiarize yourself with the amended policies and new requirements.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Regulatory Services Division at
gaming.licensing@aglc.ca or 1-855-506-1066 extension 5.

AGLC is taking the COVID-19 coronavirus matter seriously.

As a result, facilitated sessions in the community may be cancelled, and responses to phone calls and emails may be delayed. Session cancellation notices will be sent to registrants via email.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Continue to visit aglc.ca/covid-19 for the latest updates from AGLC.

Sections of the Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook (CGPH) have been amended to expand payment option for charities to include credit card, debit card, bank draft, pre-authorized debit (PAD), or electronic fund transfer (EFT) in addition to cheques when making payments for approved uses of proceeds. The following sections of the CGPH have been amended effective September 10, 2019:

• 4.1 General - Use of Gaming Revenue and Proceeds
• 4.4 General - Use of Proceeds
• 5.3 Assistance Fund Use - Use of Proceeds
• 5.4 Bursaries and Scholarships - Use of Proceeds

In support of AGLC's strategic direction for Effective Regulation, approved changes to the licensing fee schedule for bingo events, pull ticket licence fees and an increase to the total ticket value (TTV) threshold of small raffles are effective December 1, 2018.

The Commercial Bingo Handbook (CBH) has been amended to reduce the bingo event licence fee from $30 per bingo event to $20 per event and pull ticket licence fees are $5 for all pull ticket units regardless of the total ticket value. Please see Sections 2.1, 6.6, 6.9 and 12.1.5 of the CBH for full details.

Also effective December 1, 2018, the threshold for the TTV of a small raffle increases from $10,000 to $20,000.

Raffle policies in the Gaming Policies Handbook have been amended to reflect this change. Please see Sections 3.17, 3.26, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 for full details.

Licenced charities that only conduct small raffles ($20,000 or less) may deposit proceeds from raffles into a general non-gaming account.

Licensed charities that conduct small raffles ($20,000 or less) and also conduct other charitable gaming events (e.g. bingo or casino) must deposit raffle proceeds (less raffle prizes and expenses) into a current gaming account (e.g. bingo or casino).

The AGLC continues to review and improve our policies to increase clarity of eligibility criteria and use of proceeds policies for charitable organizations. The AGLC has amended the following sections of the Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook, effective March 15, 2018:

1.1 Definitions
1.3 Application for Licence
2.1 Charitable & Religious Groups Basic Eligibility
3.2 Aid for the Distressed Eligibility
3.3 Arts Groups Eligibility
3.9 Ethno-Cultural Eligibility
3.13 Hobby/Social Groups Eligibility
3.21 Senior Citizen Groups Eligibility
3.22 Sports Groups Eligibility
3.24 Veterans, Service & Fraternal Groups
3.27 Community Facility Eligibility
4.4 General Use of Proceeds
5.11 Facility

For a summary of the amended policies, please review the listed sections of the Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook.

During our internal testing of the webinar technology, we identified elements of the process that require refinement before requesting charitable gaming organizations to participate in the next phase of testing. We thank all of those that have inquired about registering for the first pilot session.

We anticipate the date for the first pilot casino session in late November 2016 and will confirm this date by November 8, 2016.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 1-866-307-7499 or by emailing gain@aglc.ca.

Thank you again for your interest and your continued patience.

Amendments will be made to the Casino Terms and Conditions and Operating Guidelines, associated with the extension of table game hours. The changes will be effective July 2, 2014. A letter was sent to Casino Advisors and Licensed Charitable Organizations in early June 2014 to advise them of the changes.

The letter and Question and Answer document can be viewed here:

• Extended Casino Hours Policy Amendment letter

In response to feedback from charitable organizations the AGLC is pleased to provide a "single date mail out" for financial reporting. This means that charitable organizations will receive all gaming financial reports in one package with an assigned reporting end date, except for raffles less than $10,000. This change in financial reporting will make it easier for charitable organizations to send multiple reports at one time throughout the year. This change is effective, Monday June 2, 2014.

A copy of the letter and the Question and Answer document are available here:

• Financial Reporting Dates
• Financial Reporting Q&A