Louisiana Raffle Laws: What Nonprofits Need to Know
Learn Louisiana raffle laws for nonprofits, including licensing, local requirements, school raffles, limited raffle licenses, online ticket sales, 50/50 raffles, and major charitable gaming changes.
Quick Answer
Yes. Qualified nonprofit and charitable organizations can legally conduct raffles in Louisiana, but raffles are regulated under the state's Charitable Raffles, Bingo and Keno Licensing Law, and both state and local requirements can apply.
Louisiana law authorizes the Office of Charitable Gaming to license qualifying charitable organizations to conduct raffles. Municipalities and parishes also decide whether charitable raffles, bingo, and keno are permitted within their jurisdictions and may regulate those activities when consistent with state law. Louisiana made an important change to this framework effective August 1, 2026. Under Act 472, qualifying nonprofit healthcare organizations affiliated with hospitals are now expressly recognized within Louisiana's charitable-gaming law. Qualifying organizations that are part of the same health system may operate under a single state charitable-gaming license when each participating entity is otherwise eligible, and nonprofit healthcare organizations are now eligible for Louisiana's limited raffle license.
Louisiana also maintains several exemptions and special provisions for organizations such as schools, booster clubs, parent-teacher associations, volunteer fire companies, civic and service organizations, and other qualifying groups.
The important takeaway is that Louisiana nonprofits should not treat raffle compliance as a simple statewide yes-or-no question. Organizations need to consider their eligibility, location, licensing status, prize structure, local rules, and the type of raffle they intend to conduct before beginning ticket sales.
Louisiana Raffle Laws at a Glance
Question | Louisiana Rule |
Are charitable raffles legal? | Yes |
Are nonprofits eligible to conduct raffles? | Yes, qualifying organizations can be licensed |
Is a state license generally required? | Often, although exemptions and special licenses exist |
Can local licensing also apply? | Yes |
Do parishes and municipalities have a role? | Yes, local governments decide whether qualifying charitable gaming is permitted within their jurisdictions |
Are schools eligible? | Yes, Louisiana has specific provisions for public and qualifying nonprofit schools |
Are booster clubs and PTAs eligible? | Yes, subject to applicable statutory requirements |
Are nonprofit healthcare organizations eligible? | Yes, Louisiana expanded their treatment effective August 1, 2026 |
Is there a limited raffle license? | Yes |
Maximum prize under a limited raffle license | $10,000 |
Are general online raffle-ticket sales expressly authorized? | We did not identify broad statutory authorization in the current law reviewed for this guide |
Primary regulator | Louisiana Office of Charitable Gaming |
RaffleGives Compliance Tip
Louisiana is a good example of why nonprofits should check both state and local raffle requirements. State law creates the charitable-gaming framework, but municipalities and parishes also determine whether charitable raffles, bingo, and keno are permitted locally.
Verify both layers before launching a campaign.
Are Nonprofit Raffles Legal in Louisiana?
Yes.
Louisiana Revised Statute § 4:707 expressly authorizes the state to license qualifying charitable organizations to conduct raffles. Louisiana describes a raffle as a game of chance played by drawing or allotting prizes by chance through the sale of shares, tickets, or rights to participate.
The state's charitable-gaming framework also covers bingo, keno, pull-tabs, electronic video bingo, and certain fundraising events, but raffles have their own important rules and exemptions. The ability to conduct a raffle does not mean every nonprofit can simply begin selling tickets. The organization's legal status, location, licensing requirements, local ordinances, raffle structure, and applicable exemptions all matter. That creates a practical challenge for nonprofit leaders. A board may ask:
"Are raffles legal in Louisiana?"
The answer is yes. But the better compliance question is:
"What does our organization need to do to legally conduct this particular raffle in this particular Louisiana community?"
That is the question nonprofits should answer before promoting the fundraiser.
Which Organizations Can Conduct Raffles in Louisiana?
Louisiana's charitable-gaming law defines a charitable organization to include qualifying nonprofit organizations domiciled in Louisiana and exempt from federal income taxation under several sections of the Internal Revenue Code. The statute also creates additional eligibility provisions for specific organizations. These include groups such as booster clubs, parent-teacher associations, private nonprofit elementary and secondary schools, public elementary and secondary schools, public institutions of higher education, volunteer fire companies, civic and service associations, Mardi Gras carnival organizations, and certain other organizations specifically recognized by Louisiana law. The exact requirements can vary by organization type. For example, Louisiana defines a booster club in connection with supporting the activities, functions, or programs of a public or private nonprofit elementary or secondary school and includes requirements concerning its relationship with the applicable school system. This means organizations should confirm that they satisfy the statutory definition that applies to them rather than assuming that any informal fundraising group automatically qualifies.
What Changed for Louisiana Nonprofit Healthcare Organizations in 2026?
This is the most important new development in Louisiana charitable raffle law. Act 472, originating as Senate Bill 181, became effective August 1, 2026.
The law added a definition for a nonprofit healthcare organization to Louisiana's charitable-gaming framework. The definition covers qualifying organizations providing healthcare services, together with certain parent organizations, affiliates, subsidiaries, and foundations, when the statutory requirements are satisfied and the organization is affiliated with a hospital. The final legislation also created an important licensing option for health systems.
Qualifying nonprofit healthcare organizations that are part of a single health system may obtain and operate under one state charitable-gaming license, provided each participating entity is otherwise eligible for a license. The parent organization must annually notify the Office of Charitable Gaming of the organizations that will operate under the license. The law also makes qualifying nonprofit healthcare organizations eligible for Louisiana's limited raffle license. For hospitals, hospital foundations, healthcare charities, and related nonprofit organizations, this is a meaningful change.
Why Does the Healthcare Change Matter?
Large nonprofit healthcare systems can contain multiple legally distinct organizations. A hospital might have a charitable foundation, affiliated nonprofit entities, subsidiaries, and other organizations operating under a larger health-system structure. Requiring each entity to independently navigate a separate charitable-gaming process can create administrative friction. Louisiana's 2026 legislation recognizes that reality.
When each participating entity otherwise qualifies, the new law creates a pathway for eligible organizations within a single health system to operate under one state charitable-gaming license. That can make raffle fundraising more practical for healthcare organizations while preserving the underlying eligibility requirements. It also expands the organizations that may benefit from Louisiana's limited raffle license.
What Is Louisiana's Limited Raffle License?
Louisiana Revised Statute § 4:707.1 establishes a limited raffle license for certain raffle games. The limited license applies to a single raffle game, and the prize value cannot exceed $10,000. The Office of Charitable Gaming is authorized to establish rules concerning issuance of the license, including licensing fees and reporting requirements. The limited raffle framework can be particularly relevant to organizations that want to conduct a specific fundraising raffle without operating a broader charitable-gaming program.
Following the 2026 change, qualifying nonprofit healthcare organizations are expressly eligible for this limited raffle license. Organizations should still review current Office of Charitable Gaming requirements before assuming that their proposed fundraiser qualifies.
Does a Louisiana Nonprofit Need a Raffle License?
Often, but not always. Louisiana generally operates through a licensing system administered by the Office of Charitable Gaming. The state issues annual licenses to organizations conducting authorized charitable games of chance, and the statutory license and renewal fee for a licensed organization is currently $75. However, Louisiana also contains important exemptions and special licensing provisions. For example, certain schools and organizations supporting schools can qualify for exemptions from licensing and reporting requirements for raffles under specified circumstances. There are also provisions allowing a charitable organization to apply for an exemption from certain licensing and reporting requirements when conducting a raffle to support elementary or secondary schools or for other community-support purposes. Because the exemption structure depends on the organization and the fundraiser, nonprofits should not assume they are exempt simply because another Louisiana organization conducted a raffle without the standard license.
Do Louisiana Cities and Parishes Regulate Raffles?
Yes.
This is one of the most important features of Louisiana raffle law. Louisiana Revised Statute § 4:706 provides that the governing authority of each municipality decides whether charitable raffles, bingo, and keno will be permitted within the municipality. Parish governing authorities make the same determination for their jurisdictions. When a local government chooses to license and regulate charitable gaming, it can adopt local rules and ordinances consistent with Louisiana law.
A local government cannot issue its license to an organization that is required to have a state license unless the organization has first obtained the applicable state license. Local regulations also cannot conflict with the state's charitable-gaming law. For nonprofit organizations, this means compliance may involve two levels:
Louisiana state requirements
and
local parish or municipal requirements.
Ignoring the local layer is a mistake.
Are Schools Allowed to Hold Raffles in Louisiana?
Louisiana law provides specific raffle provisions for schools and school-support organizations. Public elementary and secondary schools and qualifying private nonprofit elementary and secondary schools are among the organizations specifically addressed in the charitable-gaming statute. Louisiana also recognizes booster clubs and parent-teacher associations.
In certain jurisdictions where charitable gaming is permitted, qualifying schools can be exempt from specified licensing and reporting procedures when conducting raffles as a means of fundraising. This makes raffles potentially useful for school programs, athletic teams, arts programs, student activities, school foundations, PTAs and PTOs, and qualifying booster organizations. But the existence of a school-related exemption does not mean every parent group automatically qualifies. The organization should verify its legal relationship with the school, applicable local rules, and any school-board or district fundraising policies before beginning a campaign.
Can Louisiana Nonprofits Sell Raffle Tickets Online?
This is an area where organizations should be cautious. In our review of Louisiana's current charitable raffle statutes and the 2026 amendments, we did not identify broad statutory language expressly authorizing general Internet raffle-ticket sales in the way some states now do. That is an important distinction. Nebraska, for example, recently amended its law to expressly authorize certain licensed raffles to sell tickets through the organization's website.
Louisiana's charitable-gaming statutes reviewed for this guide authorize raffles and regulate the sale of shares, tickets, or rights to participate, but we should not convert that general raffle authority into an assumption that statewide Internet checkout is automatically permitted. Electronic charitable gaming also receives specific treatment elsewhere in Louisiana law, which reinforces the importance of not assuming that all electronic activity is authorized simply because the underlying raffle itself is legal.
A nonprofit considering online raffle ticket sales should therefore confirm the proposed sales and payment method with the Louisiana Office of Charitable Gaming and any applicable local regulator before launching.
Are Online 50/50 Raffles Legal in Louisiana?
We would not characterize Louisiana as providing blanket authorization for online nonprofit 50/50 raffles based on the current authorities reviewed for this article. A 50/50 raffle generally involves selling chances and awarding a percentage of the collected amount as a cash prize. Louisiana permits charitable raffles, but the organization's licensing status, prize structure, local rules, payment method, and method of ticket distribution still matter. The absence of broad statutory language expressly authorizing general Internet raffle checkout means nonprofits should not assume that because a physical raffle is legal, an online version is automatically legal.
Organizations considering an online 50/50 campaign should obtain confirmation that their exact structure complies with Louisiana's current charitable-gaming requirements. This distinction is particularly important for fundraising technology platforms. A platform being technically capable of accepting payments and issuing digital entries does not itself establish that a particular state permits those transactions. Compliance comes first.
What Prize Limits Apply to Louisiana Raffles?
Prize limits depend on the raffle structure and license being used. Louisiana's limited raffle license under § 4:707.1 applies only to a single raffle game with a prize value of no more than $10,000. Louisiana's broader charitable-gaming statute establishes a general session prize limit of $4,500 in cash or other things of value, but it specifically creates exceptions for certain activities, including raffles authorized under § 4:707(A)(1). This is why nonprofits should not take a general charitable-gaming prize limit and automatically apply it to every raffle.
The correct prize analysis depends on the specific statutory provision governing the campaign. For a limited raffle license, the $10,000 maximum is clear. For other raffle structures, organizations should confirm the applicable requirements with the Office of Charitable Gaming.
How Must Louisiana Charitable Gaming Proceeds Be Handled?
Louisiana regulates the financial administration of charitable gaming. Under § 4:714, gaming proceeds other than amounts paid as cash prizes and an authorized cash bank generally must be deposited into a designated charitable gaming account. The statute establishes a timeframe for those deposits and allows charitable organizations to transfer gaming proceeds from the charitable gaming account to other accounts controlled by the organization subject to applicable administrative rules. These requirements highlight something nonprofit leaders sometimes overlook:
A raffle is not merely a marketing campaign. It is a regulated fundraising activity with financial controls. The organization should understand those controls before money begins moving through the campaign.
Did Louisiana Make Other Charitable-Gaming Changes in 2026?
Yes.
Another 2026 measure, Act 940 / Senate Bill 487, amended Louisiana's charitable-gaming rules concerning rental arrangements for premises and equipment. The law requires applicable rental arrangements to be mutually agreed upon in writing and retains the rule that payments cannot exceed a reasonable market rental rate or be based on a percentage of gross receipts or profits derived from a game of chance. Act 940 also repealed a provision concerning combinations of financial interests among certain entities involved in charitable gaming.
These changes became effective August 1, 2026. They are less directly relevant to an ordinary nonprofit raffle than the healthcare provisions of Act 472, but they reinforce why organizations should work from current Louisiana law rather than older charitable-gaming summaries.
Louisiana Nonprofit Raffle Compliance Checklist
Before Launch | What to Verify |
Confirm organizational eligibility | Determine which Louisiana charitable-gaming category applies |
Confirm local authorization | Determine whether the parish or municipality permits charitable raffles |
Determine licensing status | Identify whether a state and/or local license is required |
Check for an exemption | Schools and certain community-support raffles may have special treatment |
Determine whether a limited license fits | Single qualifying raffles with prizes up to $10,000 may use the limited-license framework |
Verify prize structure | Confirm which prize rules apply to the specific raffle |
Review sales method | Do not assume Internet ticket sales are permitted |
Review payment method | Confirm any proposed electronic-payment structure before launch |
Establish financial controls | Use the required charitable-gaming account when applicable |
Check local rules | Municipal and parish requirements can supplement state requirements |
Maintain records | Follow state and local reporting and recordkeeping requirements |
Recheck current law | Louisiana's charitable-gaming statutes changed in 2026 |
Common Mistakes Louisiana Nonprofits Should Avoid
One common mistake is assuming that nonprofit status alone creates raffle authority.
It does not.
Louisiana has specific definitions, licenses, exemptions, and organizational categories. Another mistake is checking state law but ignoring the parish or municipality. Louisiana deliberately gives local governments a role in determining whether charitable raffles and other covered games are permitted.
A third mistake is assuming that a legal raffle can automatically be moved online. Digital fundraising technology may make the transaction easy, but technical capability and legal authorization are two different questions. Organizations should also be careful when reading older information.
Louisiana's charitable-gaming framework changed on August 1, 2026. Resources written before that date will not reflect the new treatment of nonprofit healthcare organizations or the other 2026 changes.
Finally, nonprofits should avoid copying another organization's raffle structure without independently checking their own eligibility. A hospital foundation, school, booster club, traditional 501(c)(3), civic organization, and community-support organization may not all be operating under exactly the same provisions.
RaffleGives Expert Tip
Build the compliance structure before building the campaign.
Confirm who is conducting the raffle, where it will operate, what license or exemption applies, what prize will be awarded, and how tickets will be sold. Once those questions are answered, choosing the right fundraising technology becomes much easier.
Why Louisiana's 2026 Change Matters for Nonprofit Fundraising
The healthcare expansion is noteworthy because it reflects a larger issue facing nonprofit fundraising. Organizations are becoming more complex. A modern nonprofit healthcare system may include hospitals, foundations, affiliated nonprofits, community programs, and other related entities. Fundraising regulation designed around a single standalone organization can create unnecessary administrative complexity.
Louisiana's new single-license option for qualifying organizations within a health system recognizes that reality while maintaining eligibility requirements. That matters beyond healthcare. It shows how charitable-gaming laws can evolve to accommodate the way modern nonprofit organizations actually operate.
For RaffleGives, these changes are worth watching closely. As states modernize raffle laws, clarify electronic payments, recognize new organizational structures, and update licensing requirements, nonprofit fundraising technology can become easier to deploy responsibly. But modernization is happening state by state. That makes accurate compliance information increasingly valuable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Louisiana Raffle Laws
Are raffles legal for nonprofits in Louisiana?
Yes. Louisiana allows qualifying charitable organizations and certain other eligible organizations to conduct raffles under the state's Charitable Raffles, Bingo and Keno Licensing Law.
Who regulates charitable raffles in Louisiana?
The Louisiana Office of Charitable Gaming administers the state charitable-gaming framework. Municipalities and parishes can also have regulatory responsibilities.
Does a Louisiana nonprofit need a raffle license?
Often, but Louisiana provides exemptions and special licensing structures for certain organizations and raffle types. The organization should determine which rules apply before conducting the fundraiser.
Does Louisiana have a limited raffle license?
Yes. Louisiana's limited raffle license applies to qualifying single raffle games with a prize value not exceeding $10,000.
Can schools conduct raffles in Louisiana?
Yes. Louisiana specifically addresses public schools, qualifying nonprofit private schools, booster clubs, parent-teacher associations, and other school-related organizations within its charitable-gaming law.
Can Louisiana nonprofits sell raffle tickets online?
Organizations should not assume so. The current authorities reviewed for this guide do not provide the kind of broad express Internet raffle-ticket authorization found in some other states. Confirm the proposed online sales method with the Office of Charitable Gaming and applicable local authorities.
Are online 50/50 raffles legal in Louisiana?
RaffleGives does not interpret Louisiana's current law as providing blanket statewide authorization for online nonprofit 50/50 raffles. Organizations should obtain confirmation for their exact campaign structure before accepting online ticket payments.
What changed in Louisiana raffle law in 2026?
Effective August 1, 2026, Act 472 expanded Louisiana's charitable-gaming framework for qualifying nonprofit healthcare organizations, including a single-license option for eligible organizations within one health system and eligibility for the limited raffle license.
Can a Louisiana hospital foundation conduct a raffle?
Qualifying nonprofit healthcare organizations affiliated with hospitals are now expressly recognized in Louisiana's charitable-gaming framework. Eligibility and licensing requirements still apply.
Can multiple nonprofits in one healthcare system share a charitable-gaming license?
Under the 2026 changes, qualifying nonprofit healthcare organizations within a single health system may operate under one state charitable-gaming license when each participating entity is otherwise eligible. The parent organization must provide the required annual notice.
Official Louisiana Raffle Resources
Nonprofits should verify current requirements directly through official Louisiana sources before conducting a raffle.
Louisiana Office of Charitable Gaming
Use the state's charitable-gaming resources for licensing, applications, rules, and regulatory guidance. https://www.ocg.louisiana.gov
Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 4, Charitable Raffles, Bingo and Keno Licensing Law
This is the primary statutory framework governing charitable raffles. https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=96912
Louisiana Revised Statute § 4:706
Explains the role of municipalities and parishes in permitting charitable raffles, bingo, and keno. https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?p=y&d=96917
Louisiana Revised Statute § 4:707
Establishes raffle authority, eligible organizations, exemptions, and related provisions. https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?p=y&d=96918
Louisiana Revised Statute § 4:707.1
Establishes the limited raffle license. https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=1336244
Act 472 / Senate Bill 181 (2026)
Contains the new provisions affecting nonprofit healthcare organizations. https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?i=250208
Act 940 / Senate Bill 487 (2026)
Contains additional 2026 changes concerning charitable-gaming rental arrangements and related requirements. https://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1481808
Raffle Technology Should Follow the Law, Not Lead It
Digital fundraising can remove enormous amounts of administrative work. Supporters increasingly expect to register, donate, purchase, and communicate online. Nonprofit teams increasingly expect their fundraising software to automate repetitive tasks rather than create more work for volunteers. But raffle technology operates within state charitable-gaming laws. Louisiana demonstrates why that distinction matters.
The state clearly authorizes charitable raffles. It also establishes organizational eligibility requirements, state licensing, local authority, special exemptions, limited licenses, financial controls, and other operational rules. Technology can simplify those requirements. It cannot replace them. The strongest nonprofit raffle strategy therefore starts with compliance and then uses technology to make the legally permitted campaign as simple as possible.
How RaffleGives Approaches Louisiana Fundraising
RaffleGives was built specifically for nonprofit raffle fundraising.
Our self-service platform is designed to simplify campaign setup, supporter participation, payments, raffle administration, and the operational work that traditionally falls on nonprofit staff and volunteers. However, we also believe the platform should fit the law rather than asking nonprofits to assume that a technology feature is legal simply because it exists.
For Louisiana organizations, that means first determining the applicable state and local requirements and confirming whether the intended ticket-sales and payment methods are permitted.
As Louisiana continues modernizing its charitable-gaming framework, RaffleGives will continue monitoring those changes and evaluating where our digital raffle technology can appropriately support nonprofits.
Related Reading
10 Features Every Nonprofit Raffle Software Platform Should Have
Nebraska Raffle Laws: Can Nonprofits Sell Raffle Tickets Online in 2026?
Planning a Nonprofit Raffle?
Start with the rules that apply to your organization and location.
If you're operating in Louisiana, verify your eligibility, state and local licensing requirements, available exemptions, prize structure, and proposed ticket-sales method before launching. Then explore how modern raffle technology can reduce the administrative burden of fundraising.
Visit RaffleGives to learn more about our nonprofit raffle platform and our growing library of state raffle-law resources.
Follow RaffleGives for nonprofit fundraising strategies, raffle-law updates, compliance resources, and digital fundraising insights:
This article is provided for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Charitable gaming laws and administrative guidance can change. Organizations should verify current requirements with the Louisiana Office of Charitable Gaming, applicable local authorities, and qualified legal counsel when appropriate.
