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Can I offer contests that involve chance-based games in California? What are the requirements?

Yes, you can offer contests that involve chance-based games in California, but you must comply with certain requirements.

Requirements for Offering Contests in California

To offer contests that involve chance-based games in California, you must comply with the following requirements:

  1. Registration: Every eligible organization must be registered with the DOJ in the Nonprofit Raffle Program before conducting any raffle in California [2.1][2.2].
  2. Minimum Age of Raffle Players: Raffle tickets shall be sold only to persons 18 years of age or older. It is the responsibility of the eligible organization to ensure that raffle ticket sellers at registered events ask for and are provided a valid government-issued identification by ticket purchasers to ensure that raffle tickets are sold only to persons 18 years of age or older [1.4].
  3. Limitations and Requirements: There are several limitations and requirements for raffle tickets, including:

a. A person shall not be required to pay for anything more than the raffle ticket price to enter the raffle at a registered event [1.1].

b. Each sale of a raffle ticket must be recorded by a receipt issued to the raffle player containing the information required in this section, and a corresponding counterfoil must be printed or detached, and deposited into a container with all other counterfoils generated during the registered event [1.1].

c. An eligible organization may not print any word or phrase on promotional material or advertising that implies or expresses that a purchase of a raffle ticket is a charitable donation [1.1].

d. All raffle tickets for a registered event shall be sold at the same price or pursuant to a uniform discounted pricing structure as described in section 2096, subdivision (g), of this article. The eligible organization may not change raffle ticket prices or the pricing structure once sales of raffle tickets at a registered event have commenced [1.1].

e. All of the following shall be printed on every raffle ticket: (1) The name of the eligible organization conducting the raffle; (2) The Bureau-issued registration identification number for the registered event; (3) The location, date and time, or point in the registered event, of the corresponding raffle and manual draw; (4) The unique number of the raffle ticket that must not be generated by a random number generator; (5) If different than the eligible organization conducting the raffle, the name of the eligible recipient organization; (6) The statement: “Ticket holders need not be present to win,” and the contact information, including the name, phone number, and electronic mail address, of the eligible organization conducting the raffle; (7) The toll-free telephone number approved by the Office of Problem Gambling (or its successors) that provides information and referral services for problem gamblers, currently “1-800-GAMBLER”; and (8) The time limit for the player to claim the prize, as provided in Penal Code section 320.6 [1.1]. 4. Eligible Organization Registration: Every eligible organization shall, prior to conducting any raffle in California, annually register with the Bureau in the Major League Sports Raffle Program [1.2].

If you comply with these requirements, you can offer contests that involve chance-based games in California.

Source(s):
Jurisdiction

California