Community groups’ fundraising
Return to Gambling Covid-19 updates
Updated: 11 June 2020
If you are thinking about running a gambling activity such as housie (bingo), instant game, lottery or prize competitions, you need to follow:
- the relevant game rules for the type of activity
- the government’s advice for gatherings, according to the current Alert Level.
Rules for running a gambling activity
Selling tickets online
Unless otherwise specified in the Gambling Act, remote interactive gambling is prohibited and illegal. While the COVID situation has made it difficult to sell raffle tickets in person, tickets cannot be sold using a communication device (e.g. phone or internet).
Raffle tickets and sales
You may sell raffle tickets under the government’s current Alert Level.
If the tickets are already printed, the dates specified for the sale of tickets and the draw or determination of the outcome will be incorrect.
The Department doesn’t require you to reprint the tickets, but you should make the new dates clear to purchasers when you start selling tickets again.
If the draw date needs to change
If the draw date is changed, the tickets do not need to be reprinted, but when sales recommence purchasers should be advised of the new date at the point of purchase. You should also make best efforts to inform previous ticket purchasers about the changes.
What you need to tell the Department
Licenced class 3 operators must contact the Department to advise of new closure dates, any prize changes and changes to draw dates. This will allow the Department to amend their licence details.
The Operator should still submit the prize audit report to the Department within 3 months after the new draw date.
Contact us by email at gambling@dia.govt.nz
Raffle prizes
Prizes may have become unavailable, for example it may:
- be tickets to an event that’s been cancelled
- contain perishable items such as food.
If the prize has become unavailable for any reason, all efforts should be made to return the cost of the tickets to those who purchased the tickets, when it is safe to do so.
