New York Raffle Laws: Can Nonprofits Sell 50/50 Raffle Tickets Online?

Online raffle fundraising can give nonprofits a powerful way to reach supporters beyond a traditional event. In New York, the good news is that state law provides a formal pathway for qualifying charitable organizations to sell raffle tickets through approved internet and mobile platforms.

The process is more regulated than simply adding a raffle checkout page to a nonprofit's website. New York regulates charitable raffles through the New York State Gaming Commission and local municipalities. Online raffle sales can involve state approval, local authorization, geolocation, age verification, purchaser accounts, server-location requirements, and specific technology controls.

For qualifying nonprofits willing to work within those requirements, New York provides a meaningful digital fundraising opportunity. The key is understanding that online raffle fundraising is legal, but it needs to be built correctly from the beginning.

Quick Answer: Are Online Raffles Legal in New York?

Yes. New York allows qualifying authorized organizations to sell raffle tickets through approved internet and mobile platforms.

An organization conducting an internet or mobile raffle must have a Games of Chance identification number from the New York State Gaming Commission and a raffle license when applicable. The organization must also receive Commission approval for the specifically identified raffle before offering tickets through an internet or mobile platform.

The approval process starts well before launch. Under 9 NYCRR § 4620.22, the organization must seek Commission approval at least 60 days before offering raffle tickets for sale online or through a mobile platform.

Online purchasers must be physically located in New York at the moment of purchase, and the raffle platform must block purchase attempts from outside the state. New York separately regulates where the seller-side server or electronic equipment initiating and accepting the transaction must be located.

That makes New York an online-capable but compliance-intensive raffle state.

New York Raffle Laws at a Glance

The important takeaway is that New York does not prohibit digital charitable raffle fundraising. Instead, it has created a regulated system for conducting it.

RaffleGives Compliance Note: Contact Us Before Setting Up a New York Raffle

New York State raffle compliance can be tricky.

Unlike states where a qualifying organization can move directly through the standard RaffleGives self-service setup process, RaffleGives requires New York nonprofits to contact us before setting up an online raffle.

Our team can help organizations understand the RaffleGives setup process and identify the platform and compliance requirements that need to be addressed before a New York campaign moves toward launch. This additional step is designed to help organizations build their raffle around New York's requirements from the beginning instead of trying to correct compliance issues after the campaign has already been configured.

Planning a New York raffle? Contact RaffleGives at support@rafflegives.com before beginning your campaign setup.

Who Can Conduct a Charitable Raffle in New York?

New York limits charitable games of chance to qualifying authorized organizations. Depending on the organization and applicable statutory requirements, eligible organizations can include bona fide charitable, religious, educational, fraternal, service, veterans, volunteer fire, and volunteer ambulance organizations.

The organization must satisfy New York's definition of an authorized organization rather than merely operating as a nonprofit in a general sense. Charitable gaming authorization and federal nonprofit status should therefore be treated as separate compliance questions. Organizations planning internet or mobile sales face additional requirements. The online raffle regulations provide that only an authorized organization with a Gaming Commission-issued Games of Chance identification number and a raffle license, when applicable, may sell raffle tickets through an internet or mobile platform.

This is one reason eligibility should be confirmed early in the planning process.

Do New York Nonprofits Always Need a Raffle License?

No. New York provides a limited licensing exemption for smaller raffles.

Under General Municipal Law § 190-a, an authorized organization may conduct qualifying raffles without complying with the ordinary raffle licensing requirements when it derives less than $5,000 in net proceeds from a single raffle and less than $30,000 in net raffle proceeds during a calendar year.

Once those thresholds are exceeded, additional licensing requirements apply. Online sales introduce another layer. New York's internet and mobile regulations require the authorized organization to have a Gaming Commission-issued Games of Chance identification number and a raffle license when the license is required under § 190-a. More importantly, the organization must obtain Commission approval before selling tickets for a specifically identified raffle through an internet or mobile platform.

Small-raffle exemptions therefore should not be interpreted as permission to bypass New York's internet raffle requirements.

Can New York Nonprofits Sell Raffle Tickets Online?

Yes, and this is one of the most important aspects of New York raffle law for modern nonprofit fundraising.

New York regulations expressly establish a framework for internet and mobile raffle-ticket sales. An eligible nonprofit is therefore not forced to rely on an ambiguous interpretation of an older statute that never contemplated digital fundraising. But authorization comes with conditions. The organization needs to maintain legal control of the raffle, satisfy applicable state and local requirements, obtain approval for the online campaign, and demonstrate that its technology can satisfy New York's digital raffle controls.

The distinction is important: Online raffle tickets are legal in New York. A generic online checkout is not automatically a compliant New York raffle platform.

What Does New York Require Before Online Ticket Sales Begin?

The Gaming Commission reviews the proposed digital raffle before sales begin.

Under 9 NYCRR § 4620.22(b)(7), an organization proposing to sell tickets online or through a mobile platform must seek Commission approval for the specifically identified raffle at least 60 days before offering those tickets for sale. The organization must demonstrate where the seller-side server or electronic equipment is physically located. It must also describe its geolocation technology, procedures for preventing minors from purchasing tickets, privacy protections, information-security controls, and procedures for excluding individuals on the Commission's applicable self-exclusion list.

The organization also has an ongoing responsibility to report material changes to the procedures or geolocation technology described to the Commission. This makes advance planning essential. A New York online raffle should be approached as a regulated fundraising campaign rather than a fundraiser that can be switched on at the last minute.

Where Can Someone Buy a New York Online Raffle Ticket?

New York requires an online purchaser to be physically located inside New York State at the moment of purchase.

The online or mobile platform must use geolocation technology to determine where the purchaser is located and block attempts to purchase raffle tickets from outside the state. Physical location matters more than residence. Someone with a New York home address who is physically outside the state at the time of the transaction cannot simply use that address to satisfy the location requirement. The regulations focus on where the purchaser actually is when the purchase occurs.

For digital raffle fundraising, geolocation is therefore not merely a marketing or fraud-prevention feature. It is part of the compliance infrastructure.

Where Must the Online Raffle Technology Be Located?

New York imposes a second geographic requirement that is separate from purchaser geolocation.

First, the purchaser must be physically located in New York when the raffle ticket is purchased. Separately, the seller-side server or other electronic equipment that initiates the raffle-ticket offering and accepts the purchase request must itself be physically located in an authorized New York municipality.

The purchaser's phone, tablet, or computer does not satisfy this second requirement. That is the buyer's device. New York separately regulates the physical location of the seller's raffle-sale infrastructure.

The Gaming Commission's current Internet/Mobile Raffle Application asks the organization to provide the street address, municipality, and county of the server or other electronic equipment initiating and accepting raffle ticket sales. This requirement is particularly important for modern cloud-based raffle technology. Organizations need to understand where the infrastructure supporting their transaction is physically located rather than assuming that purchaser geolocation alone satisfies New York law.

Why Do Local Municipalities Matter?

New York charitable gaming law combines state regulation with local authorization.

General Municipal Law Article 9-A establishes a local-option framework under which municipalities authorize games of chance. Raffle sales outside an organization's premises are also subject to geographic and municipal requirements. This local framework affects online raffles because the server or electronic equipment initiating and accepting an online raffle transaction must be located in a New York municipality where those ticket sales are authorized.

A nonprofit therefore cannot evaluate a New York online raffle solely at the statewide level. The location of the organization, applicable municipal authorization, and location of the seller-side raffle infrastructure can all matter.

How Old Must Someone Be to Purchase a New York Raffle Ticket?

New York's online raffle regulations require controls to prevent anyone under 18 years old from purchasing a raffle ticket through an internet or mobile platform. The requirement goes beyond placing an “I am 18” checkbox on a checkout page.

An applicant must explain the native or third-party age-verification procedures used to verify purchasers. The organization must also explain how it identifies and deactivates accounts created or used by minors and how it prevents minors from receiving online raffle promotional materials. New York also requires procedures allowing parents and guardians to use parental controls to exclude minors from online raffle participation.

Age verification therefore needs to be part of the technology and compliance plan before the raffle reaches the Commission.

Does an Online Purchaser Need a Raffle Account?

Yes.

Before purchasing through an internet or mobile raffle platform, the participant must establish a raffle ticket account with the authorized organization conducting the raffle.

New York requires that account to include identifying information such as the purchaser's legal name, date of birth, unique account number, address, email address, and telephone number. That creates a much more controlled purchasing environment than an anonymous e-commerce transaction.

The account system supports age verification, participant identification, recordkeeping, and other regulatory controls. It is another reason a New York online raffle platform needs to be designed specifically around regulated raffle activity rather than simply processing a payment.

Can New York Raffle Tickets Be Purchased With a Credit or Debit Card?

Yes. New York law provides a pathway for internet and mobile raffle purchases using debit and credit cards, subject to the state's charitable gaming requirements.

That is significant for digital fundraising because electronic payment capability removes one of the largest practical barriers to online participation. But payment processing is only one piece of the transaction. A compliant New York raffle purchase also needs to operate within the state's rules governing organizational authorization, purchaser accounts, location, age, raffle approval, and technology. A payment processor alone does not make an online raffle compliant.

Are 50/50 Raffles Legal in New York?

Yes. New York's raffle regulations expressly recognize the game commonly known as a 50/50 raffle. The regulations even distinguish the traditional two-part admission-style tickets commonly used for 50/50 raffles from other raffle tickets. That makes New York an important state for organizations interested in cash-based raffle fundraising.

However, conducting a 50/50 raffle online adds the same internet and mobile requirements that apply to other digital raffles. An organization should not assume that because a traditional 50/50 is recognized, it can automatically move that raffle onto the internet without Commission approval. The raffle structure and digital sales process need to fit within New York's broader charitable gaming framework.

Are Cash Prizes Allowed in New York Raffles?

Yes. New York law allows raffle prizes with significant value and establishes specific statutory prize ceilings.

Under the current General Municipal Law, no single raffle prize may exceed $300,000. A series of prizes awarded in one raffle may not have an aggregate value exceeding $500,000, and an authorized organization may not award raffle prizes with an aggregate value exceeding $3 million during one license period. These limits are especially relevant to organizations planning large campaigns or recurring raffle programs.

For most smaller nonprofit raffles, the statutory ceilings may never become an operational issue. Larger organizations should incorporate them into campaign planning from the beginning.

Can a Third-Party Company Conduct the Online Raffle for the Nonprofit?

No.

New York regulations expressly prohibit an authorized organization from outsourcing or otherwise delegating the conduct of an internet or mobile raffle to another entity or person, including a third-party fundraising entity. That does not mean technology cannot support the organization.

It means the nonprofit must remain the organization conducting the raffle. This distinction is central to the RaffleGives model in New York. Technology can provide infrastructure and help make the process easier, but the authorized nonprofit must maintain the responsibility and control required by New York law.

The goal is not to replace the nonprofit as the raffle operator.

The goal is to give the nonprofit better tools to conduct its raffle.

Does New York Regulate Online Raffle Technology Providers?

Yes, and this is an especially important requirement.

Under 9 NYCRR § 4620.22(b)(8), a supplier of software, platforms, or electronic equipment designed to enable an authorized organization to conduct an internet or mobile raffle must apply for a games of chance supplier license under New York law.

This is separate from the nonprofit's own authorization to conduct its raffle. The requirement illustrates how seriously New York treats the technology layer of digital charitable gaming. The state regulates not only the nonprofit and the raffle itself, but also the suppliers providing technology specifically designed to enable internet and mobile raffles. For nonprofits, that makes platform selection a compliance decision as well as a technology decision.

Why Does New York Require More Planning Than Some Other States?

The 60-day application requirement changes the fundraising calendar. An organization cannot reasonably decide today that it wants to launch a regulated online raffle next week. The technology, raffle structure, required controls, and application need to be addressed well before the planned sales period.

That means organizations should start with eligibility and campaign structure. From there, they can work through applicable licensing and local requirements, technology configuration, geolocation, age controls, purchaser accounts, and the Gaming Commission approval process. Once an organization develops a compliant operating model, however, much of that knowledge can help inform future raffle planning. The objective should not simply be to get through one raffle.

It should be to build a repeatable fundraising process that incorporates compliance from the beginning.

Why New York Is Important for Digital Nonprofit Fundraising

New York demonstrates that states do not have to choose between banning internet raffles and allowing unrestricted online sales.

The state has created a third model. It permits qualifying charitable organizations to use internet and mobile technology while imposing controls over the nonprofit, purchaser, transaction, technology, and raffle itself. That approach creates more compliance work than a simple online-sales authorization.

It also gives eligible organizations a defined regulatory pathway. For nonprofits that want to expand participation beyond a traditional event or paper-ticket campaign, that pathway can be valuable.

How Can Technology Make New York Raffle Compliance Easier?

A generic donation platform may be capable of accepting an online payment. New York's raffle requirements go substantially beyond accepting a credit card. An online raffle can involve participant accounts, geolocation, age verification, personal-information security, raffle records, payment controls, seller-side infrastructure requirements, Commission approval, and drawing procedures. Purpose-built technology can help standardize many of those processes.

For the nonprofit, the goal should be to spend less time assembling unrelated systems and more time promoting the fundraiser, engaging supporters, and advancing its mission. But technology does not eliminate the underlying regulatory requirements. The better approach is to make compliance part of the technology itself.

How Does RaffleGives Approach New York Raffles?

RaffleGives was built specifically around nonprofit raffle fundraising, with compliance treated as part of the campaign rather than something added after launch. New York requires a more hands-on approach than many other states.

Because of the state's requirements surrounding internet raffle approval, organizational control, geolocation, age verification, server or equipment location, technology providers, and other operating procedures, New York organizations should not begin with the standard self-service RaffleGives onboarding process. Instead, RaffleGives requires New York nonprofits to contact our team directly before campaign setup.

We can help the organization understand the RaffleGives setup process and identify the platform and compliance requirements that need to be addressed as it prepares its New York raffle. This approach is intentional.

Sometimes the best way to make fundraising easier is not to remove an important compliance step. It is to help the organization navigate that step correctly.

New York nonprofits interested in using RaffleGives should contact support@rafflegives.com before beginning campaign setup.

What Are the Most Common New York Online Raffle Mistakes?

One of the biggest mistakes is assuming that permission to conduct a traditional raffle automatically authorizes internet ticket sales. New York treats internet and mobile sales as a separately regulated activity that requires Commission approval.

Another is confusing purchaser geolocation with the seller-side server requirement. They are separate rules. The purchaser must be in New York, while the server or qualifying electronic equipment initiating and accepting the transaction must also be physically located in an authorized New York municipality. Organizations should also avoid treating an ordinary website checkout as sufficient raffle infrastructure. New York requires participant accounts, age controls, geolocation, privacy and security procedures, and other safeguards.

Finally, nonprofits should not wait until the planned launch date to investigate compliance. The 60-day online application timeline means the regulatory process belongs at the beginning of campaign planning.

New York Online Raffle Checklist

Before planning an internet or mobile raffle, a New York nonprofit should be prepared to address several core questions:

• Does the organization qualify as an authorized organization?
• Does it have the required Games of Chance identification number?
• Is a municipal raffle license required?
• Have applicable local authorization requirements been satisfied?
• Has the specific online raffle been submitted to the Gaming Commission at least 60 days before online sales?
• Can the platform verify that purchasers are physically located in New York?
• Are purchasers verified as being at least 18?
• Does each online purchaser establish the required raffle ticket account?
• Is the seller-side server or electronic equipment located in an authorized New York municipality?
• Does the technology provider satisfy applicable New York supplier requirements?
• Does the nonprofit remain in control of conducting the raffle?
• Are privacy, security, payment, drawing, and recordkeeping procedures established?

For organizations using RaffleGives, there is one additional first step:

Contact support@rafflegives.com before beginning your New York campaign setup.

Frequently Asked Questions About New York Raffle Laws

Are nonprofit raffles legal in New York?

Yes. Qualifying authorized organizations can conduct raffles in New York when applicable state and local charitable gaming requirements are satisfied.

Can New York nonprofits sell raffle tickets online?

Yes. New York permits approved internet and mobile raffle-ticket sales. The authorized organization must satisfy the applicable requirements and receive Gaming Commission approval for the specifically identified online raffle before digital sales begin.

Are online 50/50 raffles legal in New York?

New York regulations expressly recognize 50/50 raffles and separately provide a pathway for approved internet and mobile raffle sales. Moving a 50/50 online, however, requires compliance with the internet/mobile raffle rules and Commission approval.

How early should a nonprofit apply for online raffle approval?

The organization must seek approval at least 60 days before offering raffle tickets for sale through the internet or mobile platform.

Can someone outside New York buy an online raffle ticket?

No. The platform must verify that the purchaser is physically located in New York at the moment of purchase and block attempts originating outside the state.

Is the buyer's phone considered the New York electronic equipment required by the law?

No. Purchaser geolocation and seller-side infrastructure are separate requirements. The buyer must be physically in New York, while the server or other seller-side electronic equipment initiating the offering and accepting the purchase request must be physically located in an authorized New York municipality.

How old must someone be to purchase a New York raffle ticket online?

Online raffle controls must ensure purchasers are at least 18 years old.

Does an online raffle purchaser need an account?

Yes. New York requires an online or mobile purchaser to establish a raffle ticket account containing specified identifying and contact information.

Can a nonprofit outsource its New York online raffle?

No. New York prohibits the authorized organization from outsourcing or delegating the conduct of its internet or mobile raffle to another entity, including a third-party fundraising entity.

Are raffle software companies regulated in New York?

Yes. A supplier of software, platforms, or electronic equipment designed to enable an authorized organization to conduct an internet or mobile raffle must apply for a New York games of chance supplier license.

Are cash raffle prizes legal in New York?

Yes. New York allows cash raffle prizes subject to applicable statutory prize limits and other raffle requirements.

What is the maximum raffle prize in New York?

Under current General Municipal Law § 189, a single raffle prize may not exceed $300,000. A series of prizes in a raffle may not exceed $500,000 in aggregate value, and aggregate raffle prizes awarded by an authorized organization may not exceed $3 million during one license period.

Does every New York raffle require a license?

No. New York provides a licensing exemption for certain smaller raffles generating less than $5,000 in net proceeds from a single raffle and less than $30,000 in net raffle proceeds during a calendar year. Online and mobile raffle sales remain subject to the state's separate digital raffle requirements.

Official New York Raffle Resources

New York State Gaming Commission: Guidelines for Conducting Raffles
https://gaming.ny.gov/guidelines-conducting-raffles

New York State Gaming Commission: Internet/Mobile Raffle Application
https://gaming.ny.gov/internet-raffle-application

New York State Gaming Commission: Charitable Gaming
https://gaming.ny.gov/charitable-gaming

New York General Municipal Law Article 9-A
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/GMU/A9-A

General Municipal Law § 189: Restrictions Upon Conduct of Games of Chance
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/GMU/189

General Municipal Law § 190-a: Raffles; License Not Required
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/GMU/190-A

Related Reading

Explore more State Raffle Laws from RaffleGives.

Learn more about Software & Platform considerations for nonprofit raffle fundraising.

Explore our How-To Guides and Fundraising Strategy resources for building stronger campaigns.

Planning an Online Raffle in New York?

New York is not the simplest state for online raffle fundraising. But it provides something important: a defined legal pathway for qualifying organizations to use internet and mobile technology to conduct charitable raffles.

The tradeoff is a more structured compliance process. Eligibility, local authorization, Gaming Commission approval, purchaser accounts, geolocation, age verification, seller-side technology location, platform requirements, and organizational control all need to be considered before digital ticket sales begin.

RaffleGives requires New York organizations to contact us directly before setting up their campaign so we can help with the RaffleGives setup and compliance process.

Ready to Explore a New York Raffle?

Contact RaffleGives at support@rafflegives.com before beginning your campaign setup.

Our team can help you understand the RaffleGives process and identify the platform and compliance requirements that need to be addressed as your organization prepares its raffle. Online raffle fundraising is possible in New York.

The key is building it correctly from the beginning.

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This article is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. RaffleGives can assist organizations with the RaffleGives platform setup and compliance process but does not replace the New York State Gaming Commission, applicable municipal authorities, or qualified legal counsel. Organizations remain responsible for satisfying the legal requirements applicable to their raffles.