Gambling event licence classes and types
Last updated on January 31, 2025
A licensee must have a separate licence for each type of gambling event it conducts (i.e. 50/50, Regular Raffle, Bingo, etc.). Before applying for a gaming event licence, an applicant must review the event procedures within the Licensed Charitable Gaming Rules (PDF) to become familiar with the rules that must be followed.
A licence may be issued for a period of up to 12 months for a series of similar gaming events.
Licence classes
Expand each class below to see more information, including event types, restrictions, processing fees, and processing times.
Class A: Gambling events that project more than $20,000 in gross revenue
Eligible gambling events:
- Ticket Raffle
- Independent Bingo
- Wheel of Fortune
- Social Occasion Casino
Restrictions:
- No limit in gross revenue in a calendar year
- No limit in gross revenue per licence
- No limit on individual prize values
- No limit on price per ticket
Processing fee:
- $50
Processing time:
- Complete applications require up to 10 weeks processing time
*An eligibility review is required for all first-time applicants on Class A and B applications who wish to raise funds for their own purposes. Organizations may be required to be reassessed every five years or sooner at the discretion of GPEB.
Class B: Gambling events that project $20,000 or less in gross revenue
Eligible gambling events:
- Ticket Raffle
- Independent Bingo
- Wheel of Fortune
- Social Occasion Casino
- Poker
Restrictions:
- No limit in gross revenue in a calendar year
- An allowed maximum of up to $20,000 in gross revenue per licence
- No limit on individual prize values
- No limit on price per ticket
Processing fee:
- $25
Processing time:
- Complete applications require up to 10 business days processing time
*An eligibility review is required for all first-time applicants on Class A and B applications who wish to raise funds for their own purposes. Organizations may be required to be reassessed every five years or sooner at the discretion of GPEB.
Class C: Gambling events held as part of Registered Provincial Fairs and Exhibitions only
Eligible gambling events:
- Ticket Raffle
- Independent Bingo
- Wheel of Fortune
- Limited Casino
Restrictions:
- No limit in gross revenue in a calendar year
- No limit in gross revenue per licence
- No limit on individual prize values
- No limit on price per ticket
Processing fee:
- $150
Processing time:
- Complete applications require up to 10 weeks processing time
Class D: Gambling events that project $5,000 or less in gross revenue
Eligible gambling events:
- Ticket Raffle
- Independent Bingo
Restrictions:
- A maximum gross revenue of up to $20,000 in a calendar year
- A maximum gross revenue of up to $5,000 per licence
- Individual prize values must not exceed $500 (at fair market value)
- Purchased raffle prizes cannot exceed 50% of the projected gross revenue
- A maximum $2 charge per individual ticket
Processing fee:
- $10
Processing time:
- Complete applications require up to 10 business days processing time
*An eligibility review is not required for a Class D licence.
Apply for a gambling event licence, check your application status, or report gambling wrongdoing.
Contact information
Contact the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch if you have questions about gambling event licences in B.C.