Christmas raffle for a Belgian charity: the rules

Christmas raffle in Belgium: what is allowed without a permit, what needs authorisation, and why online ticket sales go through the National Lottery.

In short A charity recognised by the municipal executive can run a Christmas raffle without a permit up to 4 times a year: €5 a ticket, 1,000 tickets, prizes in kind worth up to €500, at least 70% for the cause. Beyond that, the executive must authorise. Online sales fall under the National Lottery, 13 weeks ahead.

this article describes the rules in Belgium.

A raffle (tombola) is the simplest activity for a Christmas stall, and the one where people most often get the rule wrong. Here is what is allowed, what needs authorisation and what we cannot confirm for you.

What does Belgian law say about a raffle?

Raffles fall under the law of 31 December 1851 on lotteries, not the gambling law. Since the law of 20 July 2022, local raffles are legalised. The Gaming Commission is therefore not the body that authorises a raffle: the municipality and the National Lottery are.

These rules are federal and we found no difference between the regions. What differs is municipal practice (forms, department, deadlines). There are three levels: no authorisation, authorisation by the municipal executive, or the National Lottery.

What can you do without authorisation?

An association recognised by the college of mayor and aldermen (the municipal executive) may run a raffle without authorisation, at most four times a year, within the municipality and for a social or charitable purpose. The rule has applied since 11 September 2022. The limits are set by the royal decree of 13 September 2023.

At most €5 per ticket.
At most 1,000 tickets per raffle.
Only prizes in kind with a commercial value of at most €500, sponsor-donated prizes included.
At least 70% of the proceeds for the social or charitable purpose, at most 30% for costs.

An example: 1,000 tickets at €5 bring in €5,000 at most. At least €3,500 goes to the cause, and at most €1,500 covers prizes not donated, printing and logistics.

What does recognised by the municipal executive mean?

We cannot confirm that for your municipality. The law requires recognition by the college of mayor and aldermen, but its criteria vary from one municipality to another. We found no official list valid everywhere.

Write to your municipality and ask:

whether your association is recognised, and if not how to become so;
which department handles raffles;
whether a municipal regulation adds conditions.

Keep the answer in writing.

When do you need the municipal executive's authorisation?

As soon as you exceed the limits above: a pricier ticket, more than 1,000 tickets, prizes above €500 or more than four raffles a year. A charitable, artistic or public-utility raffle beyond those thresholds needs the municipal executive's approval.

The Province of Antwerp, for example, asks for a non-profit (vzw/ASBL) whose statutes were published in the Belgian Official Gazette at least 5 years ago, with the accounts of the last 2 years. That is a Flemish source: for Wallonia and Brussels, ask your municipality what it requires.

For several municipalities in one province, authorisation comes from the province, at least one month ahead. For several provinces, it comes from the FPS Interior (same Antwerp source).

Why does online selling fall under the National Lottery?

The royal decree of 18 December 2023 reserves for the National Lottery the raffles run across several provinces or by information society means, that is, over the internet. Selling tickets on a donation page or in an online shop is therefore not the same as a stall raffle.

According to the text of the decree, read on a mirror site of the Belgian Official Gazette, the conditions are stricter:

a private-law legal entity that has existed for at least 5 years;
at least 60% of the proceeds for the good cause;
prizes in kind only, worth at most 40% of the value of the tickets;
a ticket between €0.05 and €20;
a duration of at most 12 months, with a draw in Belgium supervised by a bailiff;
no minor participants, and an application 13 weeks before the announcement.

Thirteen weeks is nearly 3 months: for Christmas, the application goes in at the end of summer. The 2023 decree says nothing about tickets sold online in a raffle without authorisation. Until a legal source says otherwise, treat online sales as subject to the National Lottery.

The pitfalls of the Christmas raffle

Three mistakes recur among small associations.

The Christmas bingo: according to the UVCW (the Walloon association of towns and municipalities), bingos fall under the Gaming Commission, not the municipality. It is not a raffle.
The cash prize: the no-authorisation regime accepts only prizes in kind.
The ticket paid online "for convenience": that is what risks tipping the raffle into the National Lottery regime.

Timeline for your Christmas raffle

Without authorisation, 6 weeks are enough. For the National Lottery, count back at least 13 weeks from the announcement.

Six weeks ahead: check recognition with the municipality.
Four weeks ahead: collect the prizes and note their commercial value.
Two weeks ahead: print the tickets and line up 2 people for the draw.
On the day: sell on site and draw in front of the public.
Within 2 days: say thank you and announce the total.

For the rest of the campaign, read our guide to organising a Christmas campaign in Belgium.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

The raffle is played on site, with paper tickets. WeGlow.world takes care of what surrounds it: a donation page in three steps (amount, details, summary), for a one-off or monthly gift, including on a phone. Do not sell tickets through it: a donation stays a donation.

Your supporters start their own fundraising page, and you can save a thank-you text sent after each gift. If your association is recognised, you send tax certificates in one click. Start free with an account on weglow.world.

We are preparing four Christmas experiences, still a concept until the official launch. In the Glow Room, a 3D living room, each gift becomes a decoration on the Christmas tree. In the Card Wall, each gift becomes a card with a stamp. Also see the Starry Sky and the Gift Yard.

See also the charity Christmas market in Belgium and the Christmas campaign ideas. Ready to start? Create your account or contact the team.

Frequently asked questions

Five frequently asked questions.

Is a Christmas raffle allowed without authorisation?

Yes, for an association recognised by the municipal executive, at most 4 times a year: €5 a ticket, 1,000 tickets, €500 of prizes in kind, at least 70% for the cause. Outside that framework, authorisation is needed.

Can I offer money as a prize?

Not without authorisation: only prizes in kind are allowed, up to €500 of commercial value, sponsor prizes included.

How do I know whether my association is recognised by the executive?

We cannot confirm it: the criteria vary by municipality. Ask your municipality in writing.

Can I sell my raffle tickets online?

Not without the National Lottery: raffles over the internet require an application filed at least 13 weeks before the announcement. For a stall, stick to paper tickets.

Does the price of a raffle ticket entitle you to a tax certificate?

No, a ticket is a purchase with something in return. Only a pure donation of at least €40 a year to a recognised institution opens the 30% tax reduction.

Sources

Pages consulted on 9 October 2026.