WA raffle rules, permits & prize tips

Running a fundraiser in Western Australia? This guide covers when you need a standard lottery (raffle) permit, exceptions, ticket and draw rules, prize restrictions (including liquor), RNG requirements, bank guarantees, and post-draw obligations. Sources are the WA Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) and current WA legislation/policies reviewed in 2024–25. As always, check the latest details before you launch. Make sure to check out the free RaffleRaise Compliance Checker to confirm your requirements, then launch your raffle online in minutes—payments, ticketing, T&Cs, draw tools, and winner notifications built-in.

At-a-glance rules (WA)

• “Standard lottery” = raffle.
  • A permit is generally required to run a standard lottery (raffle) offered to the public over an extended period (up to 3 months per permit).
• Permit-free scenarios (exemptions):
  • Scenario 1 (closed group, ≤8 days): Same ticket price; sold to people who work/reside on the same premises or club members/guests; each prize ≤ $1,000.
  • Scenario 2 (same-day on premises): Same ticket price; sold and drawn same day & same premises; total prizes ≤ $2,000.
  • Scenario 3 (minor fundraising): Not for private gain; total prizes ≤ $200.
• Ticket pricing:
  • All tickets must be sold at the same price (no bundle discounts/early-bird).
• Age limits:
  • Under-12s can’t buy or sell tickets; if liquor is a prize, under-18s can’t buy or sell.
• Liquor & prohibited prizes:
  • Liquor prizes are allowed only if the retail value is < $1,000 per prize. No prizes may include cosmetic surgical or medical procedures.
• Draw order:
  • The major prize must be awarded to the first ticket drawn (reverse draws aren’t permitted unless approved for a special format).
• Bank guarantee (large prizes):
  • If your total prize value is $30,000+, you must provide a bank guarantee for the total retail value of prizes (limited exemptions for interstate arrangements).
• Professional fundraisers (including digital platforms):
  • If using a professional fundraiser, the benefiting organisation must receive at least 30% of gross proceeds (from 1 Jan 2024). Platform-only providers charging a nominal setup fee and ≤5.5% of proceeds may be exempt from lodging a budget projection (but conditions still apply).
• Records & returns:
  • Keep records for 12 months and lodge your financial return within 14 days of the draw
    
    

Step-by-step: running your WA raffle

1) Confirm you’re eligible

• Your raffle must raise funds for sporting, social, political, literary, artistic, scientific, benevolent, charitable or similar community purposes—not for private or commercial gain.

2) Check if you need a permit (or qualify for an exemption)

• If you’re selling to the public over more than a day, you’ll typically need a standard lottery permit. Review the three exemption scenarios above to see if you qualify without a permit (closed group ≤8 days; same-day same-premises ≤$2,000 prizes; or minor fundraising ≤$200 prizes).

3) Plan compliant prizes

• Allowed with limits: Liquor prizes are OK only if each prize’s retail value is < $1,000.
• Prohibited: No prizes may consist of or include cosmetic surgical or medical procedures.
• Delivery: Winners must receive prizes within 30 days of completion.

4) Set ticket pricing & quantities

• One price only: All tickets must be sold at the same price as authorised on the permit (no multi-buy discounts).
• No post-launch increases: You cannot increase the total number of tickets after sales commence.

5) Apply for your standard lottery permit

• Where: Apply online via the DLGSC portal.
• Timing: Permits run up to 3 months; if you need to extend the closing date, request it at least 7 days before the original closing date. If you need to postpone a scheduled draw/publication, request it at least 14 days before the scheduled closing date (and publish a notice of postponement).
• Lodgement window: DLGSC policy notes permit applications must be lodged within 14 days from the commencement of ticket sales (i.e., promptly after you start). Check the portal instructions to ensure your timing aligns with your sales plan.
• Using a professional fundraiser or platform?
  • If a professional fundraiser is involved, the beneficiary must receive ≥30% of gross proceeds (from 1 Jan 2024), and a budget projection is normally required. Where a provider supplies digital platform-only services and charges ≤5.5%, the budget projection may be waived (other conditions still apply). RaffleRaise’s platform fee is below this threshold, so this paperwork relief will apply if when the platform-only setup and remittance timings are used. (The 30% of gross to the beneficiary rule still applies.)

6) Build your tickets & sales page

• WA requires that each ticket displays: ticket number; ticket price; permit holder name & contact number; the organisation’s name; permit number; description and value of prizes (and any restrictions/costs); draw date; and the name & date of issue of the publication where results will appear. RaffleRaise includes all of these on your digital ticket/receipt and sales page by default.
• Data to collect: You must record the buyer’s surname and postal or residential address (on the ticket butt or an approved register). RaffleRaise securely captures and stores purchaser details for your records.
• Selling windows: Door-to-door sales are limited to 9am–6pm; telephone solicitations are limited to 9am–8pm (Mon–Fri) and 9am–6pm (Sat–Sun), excluding Good Friday, Christmas Day, and the morning of ANZAC Day.

7) Write your rules & terms

• State clearly who can enter, how/when the draw occurs, where results will be published, how winners are notified, any timeframes for unclaimed prizes, and any costs/conditions attached to prizes (e.g., travel). RaffleRaise provides a ready-to-use rules template so you don’t start from scratch.

8) Promote responsibly

• Include your permit number in advertising. Don’t imply guaranteed outcomes. Make sure the page and ads match your official rules and ticket details. (DLGSC’s standard conditions govern advertising, pricing and selling methods.)

9) Run the draw & notify winners

• Draw mechanics: All sold tickets must be in the draw; the major prize is awarded to the first ticket drawn, with remaining prizes awarded in order of drawing (unless you have a Commission-approved format like a sweepstake/continuous draw).
• Electronic RNG: If you plan to use an electronic random number generator, DLGSC requires independent, competent certification showing the software selects numbers purely at random (e.g., by a university or reputable accounting firm). Prior certification from another jurisdiction is acceptable. Talk to RaffleRaise about your options—we can support manual/public draws with a full audit trail, or help you explore RNG certification pathways appropriate for WA.
• Winner contact: Publish results in your nominated publication and notify winners as per your rules.
• Tip: The RaffleRaise platform automatically notifies winners via email, and you can publish results to your page in one click.

10) After the draw: banking, returns & records

• Prize delivery: Within 30 days.
• Financial return: Lodge within 14 days of the draw; keep records (including unsold ticket stock and butts) for 12 months.
• Ticket refunds: Not permitted unless approved by the Commission in writing.
  
  

Ready to run your WA raffle?

Use the free RaffleRaise Compliance Checker to confirm your requirements, then launch your raffle online in minutes—payments, ticketing, T&Cs, draw tools, and winner notifications built-in.

Version 1.0

Updated 1 September 2025