Charitable raffle rules come from three places at once: your state’s charitable gaming statute, the IRS reporting and withholding regime, and a federal criminal law that makes mailing raffle tickets a crime even when the raffle itself is legal. For 2026, the IRS raised the Form W-2G reporting floor for raffle winnings to $2,000 (up from $600), while the 24% federal withholding requirement still triggers at $5,000 in net proceeds. Only tax-exempt nonprofits can host, three states ban charitable raffles outright, and every other state runs its own permit system.
Who Can Legally Host a Raffle
States limit raffle hosting to tax-exempt nonprofits. The most common qualifying designation is Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, which covers charitable, religious, educational, and scientific organizations. Many jurisdictions also extend eligibility to civic leagues organized under Section 501(c)(4) and veterans’ organizations under Section 501(c)(19).1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 501 – Exemption From Tax on Corporations, Certain Trusts, Etc. For-profit businesses and private individuals cannot legally host a raffle anywhere in the country.
Many states add a seasoning requirement. The organization must have been actively operating and holding its tax-exempt status for a minimum period, often one to three years, before it can apply for a raffle permit. This prevents groups from incorporating solely to run a gambling event under a nonprofit label. Some states also require the nonprofit’s purpose to align with the charitable use described in the raffle application, so a literacy nonprofit typically cannot raise money for an unrelated building project through a raffle.
Most states set the minimum age to buy a ticket at 18, though some go higher depending on the prize. If a prize involves alcohol or another age-restricted item, the ticket-buyer age may match the restriction on the prize itself. Selling to someone underage can invalidate the drawing and create licensing problems for the organization.
Where Raffles Are Banned Outright
Alabama, Hawaii, and Utah prohibit charitable raffles. Alabama treats them as illegal lotteries with no nonprofit exception. Utah classifies all raffles as gambling and bans them. Hawaii allows prize drawings only when participation is completely free, which kills the raffle model since it depends on ticket revenue. Organizations in these three states need a different fundraising method regardless of their tax-exempt status.
Every other state permits charitable raffles in some form. The regulator varies: some states use a dedicated gaming commission, others the attorney general’s office or the secretary of state. Filing with the wrong office can delay approval by months, so confirm which agency issues permits before you start the application.
Getting the Permit
Most states require a permit or license before you hold a raffle. The application typically asks for:
- Articles of Incorporation and the IRS determination letter confirming tax-exempt status.
- A current list of officers or board members with contact information.
- The date, time, and physical location of the drawing.
- Ticket price and the total number of tickets to be printed or sold.
- A detailed description and fair market value of every prize offered.
If a prize involves a vehicle or real estate, expect the agency to request title documentation or a professional appraisal. That valuation matters beyond the permit. It determines whether the organization must withhold federal income tax from the winner.
Application fees range from nothing to several hundred dollars depending on the state, the expected prize value, and whether you’re applying for a single event or an annual license. Processing times vary just as widely. Some agencies turn permits around in a few weeks; others take two months or longer. Submit well ahead of your event date, because operating without a valid permit can bring fines, loss of future gaming privileges, or criminal charges. The issued permit, physical or digital, generally must be displayed or available for inspection at the drawing itself.
Selling Across State Lines and Online
If your nonprofit plans to sell tickets in a state other than where it’s incorporated, you’ll likely need to register as a charitable solicitor in that state separately. Most states require out-of-state nonprofits to register before soliciting any contributions within their borders. A Unified Registration Statement exists to consolidate the paperwork, but not every state accepts it. Running a multi-state raffle without the proper registrations exposes the organization to enforcement actions in every jurisdiction where tickets were sold.
Online ticket sales face their own patchwork. Some states flatly prohibit conducting a raffle over the internet, even though advertising it online is allowed. Others permit digital sales with specific registration and disclosure requirements. Before selling through a website or app, check your state gaming commission’s rules. Getting this wrong can turn a legal fundraiser into an illegal gambling operation, and the penalties tend to land on the individuals who authorized the online sales.
The Federal Ban on Mailing Raffle Tickets
Federal law treats raffle tickets as lottery materials, and mailing them is a crime. Under 18 U.S.C. ยง 1302, knowingly depositing lottery tickets, payment for tickets, or lottery advertisements in the mail carries penalties of up to two years in prison for a first offense and five years for a subsequent one.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1302 – Mailing Lottery Tickets or Related Matter This applies even when the raffle itself is perfectly legal under state law.
You can still promote a raffle by mail within limits. The USPS has clarified that organizations may mail promotional materials for a legally authorized raffle as long as the mailing contains no actual entry materials: no tickets, no payment slips, and no forms that let someone participate just by returning them. A safer approach is to include a free-entry option on any mailed materials, such as a checkbox stating “Please enter my name in the drawing. I do not wish to make a donation at this time.” When no purchase is necessary, the mailing loses the “consideration” element and falls outside the legal definition of a lottery.3USPS Postal Explorer. Customer Support Ruling – Lotteries – Raffles (PS-307)
IRS Reporting: The $2,000 Form W-2G Threshold
Organizations that award raffle prizes face two distinct federal tax obligations: reporting the winnings to the IRS and, for larger prizes, withholding income tax before the winner takes anything home. The thresholds are different, and confusing them is one of the most common mistakes nonprofits make.
For 2026, the IRS requires the organization to file Form W-2G whenever raffle winnings meet or exceed $2,000 and the prize is at least 300 times the ticket price. This $2,000 floor replaced the long-standing $600 minimum after Congress directed annual inflation adjustments beginning with the 2026 calendar year.4Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754 For a typical raffle with $5 or $10 tickets, the 300-times test is almost always met, so the $2,000 threshold is usually the one that matters.
To complete the form, the organization needs the winner’s Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number. Form W-9 is the standard way to collect it.4Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754 Have blank W-9s on hand at the drawing. Chasing down a winner’s tax ID after the fact is far harder than collecting it on the spot.
IRS Withholding: The 24% Rule at $5,000
Separate from reporting, federal law requires the organization to withhold 24% of the proceeds when those proceeds exceed $5,000. “Proceeds” means the prize value minus the ticket cost. Because the tax code classifies raffles as lotteries, there is no additional 300-times-the-wager requirement for withholding; it triggers purely on the $5,000 net threshold.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 3402 – Income Tax Collected at Source
For cash prizes the math is straightforward: subtract the ticket price, check whether the result exceeds $5,000, and if so, hand the winner 76% of the net amount and send the rest to the IRS. Non-cash prizes are trickier. When someone wins a car worth $30,000 on a $10 ticket, the organization still owes the IRS 24% of $29,990, about $7,198. The winner can pay that amount to the organization before receiving the prize. If the organization covers the tax instead, the IRS treats the tax payment itself as additional winnings, which bumps the effective withholding rate to 31.58% of the net prize value.6Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754 (PDF) Plan for the withholding cost before offering a big non-cash prize.
Backup Withholding When a Winner Won’t Provide a TIN
If a winner refuses to provide a taxpayer identification number or gives one the IRS has flagged as incorrect, the organization must withhold 24% as backup withholding regardless of the prize amount.7Internal Revenue Service. Topic No. 307, Backup Withholding For a $3,000 prize that would normally fall below the regular withholding threshold, a missing TIN still forces the organization to hold back $720. Collecting the W-9 at the drawing avoids this entirely.
What Winners Owe
Every dollar of raffle winnings is taxable income. That’s true even if the organization didn’t issue a Form W-2G because the prize fell below the reporting threshold. Winners report gambling income on Schedule 1 of Form 1040.8Internal Revenue Service. Topic No. 419, Gambling Income and Losses Any withholding collected at the event counts as a credit toward the winner’s tax bill, but it may or may not cover the full liability depending on their tax bracket and other income.
Winners of non-cash prizes face a particular bind: they owe income tax on the fair market value of the prize but may not have the cash to pay it. Someone who wins a $40,000 boat could owe $10,000 or more in combined federal and state taxes. Declining the prize is always an option, and many organizations give winners a short window to decide before the withholding obligation becomes final.
One widespread misconception: raffle ticket purchases are not tax-deductible charitable contributions.9Internal Revenue Service. Publication 526, Charitable Contributions The IRS treats buying a raffle ticket as purchasing a chance to win, not making a voluntary donation. The money spent on tickets cannot be claimed on Schedule A, even when the organization running the raffle is a qualified 501(c)(3). Organizations should avoid implying otherwise in their marketing.
Post-Event Reports and Recordkeeping
Most states require a detailed financial report after the raffle. The report typically itemizes total ticket revenue, all expenses (printing, prize acquisition, permit fees), and net proceeds. Regulators check that the net revenue actually went to the charitable purpose described in the permit application. Diverting funds to unauthorized expenses or private use can trigger an audit, permit revocation, or loss of the organization’s gaming privileges. In cases of intentional fraud or failure to remit withheld taxes to the IRS, the individuals responsible for the event, not just the organization, can face personal liability and criminal prosecution.
The IRS separately requires tax-exempt organizations to maintain books and records showing compliance with all applicable tax rules, including documentation of receipts and expenditures.10Internal Revenue Service. EO Operational Requirements – Recordkeeping Requirements for Exempt Organizations For a raffle, that means holding on to ticket sales records or stubs, prize documentation and appraisals, copies of every W-2G filed, proof of withholding remittances, and the post-event financial report submitted to your state agency. The IRS doesn’t publish a single retention deadline for all exempt-organization records, but keeping everything for at least seven years covers most state audit windows and the federal statute of limitations for fraud-related assessments.