Raffles

License Overview 

A City of Chicago Raffles license is required to conduct a raffle in Chicago.

 

Application Requirements 

  1. Raffles licenses may only be issued to bona fide religious, charitable, labor, fraternal, educational or veterans’ organizations which are located in Chicago and which operate without profit to their members, and which have been in existence continuously for five years immediately before applying for a Raffles License.
  2. The organization must be listed with the Illinois Attorney General as a charitable organization.

 

Required Documents 

  1. Documents required to identify the business depend on the business legal entity type. For more information, see the Required Documents page.

 

License Application Steps 

  1. Submit initial business information in person or online
  2. Complete and submit a full license application
  3. Make payment for the license
  4. Receive license once all requirements are met

For more information on license application steps, see the Business License Application Steps webpage.

 

Cost 

$100 license fee

 

How to apply

In person: Visit the Small Business Center Visit Us webpage for wait times, location, and hours of operation.

Online: Visit the online business license application system.

 

Operating Requirements 

  1. Raffles must be conducted in accordance with the Illinois Raffles and Poker Runs Act (230 ILCS 15/0.01)
  2. Each raffle ticket must state the name and address of the licensee, the date or dates of the drawing, and the prizes to be awarded (except for when the prize is under $50).
  3. Raffle tickets cannot be issued more than 364 days before the drawing.
  4. The maximum cash prize awarded can be no higher than $2,000,000. The maximum retail value of a non-cash prize can be no higher than $100,000. The aggregate value of all prizes awarded in any raffle cannot exceed $4,000,000. The maximum fee for a raffle ticket cannot exceed $500.

 

Renewal Requirements 

A Raffle License is issued for a period of one year and must be renewed prior to expiration. For renewal information, see the Renewal page.

 

COST Resources

For questions, call 312-74-GOBIZ (744-6249) or 312.744.1944, or email businesslicense@cityofchicago.org