Christmas tombola and raffle for a Swiss association

Christmas raffle in Switzerland: what needs no permit, what needs the canton or Gespa, and why an online lottery is ruled out

In short In Switzerland, a Christmas raffle is not entirely free of rules. With prizes in kind, held at your own event and up to 50,000 francs in stakes, federal law asks for no permit, but many cantons require a notification or more. Above that you need a cantonal permit. Online, it goes through Gespa.

this article describes the rules in Switzerland.

Why is a Christmas raffle regulated in Switzerland?

The federal Gambling Act (LJAr in French, BGS in German) sets the principle: anyone who wants to run a game of chance needs a permit or a licence. A lottery is a game open to a large number of people whose outcome depends on a single draw.

Your Christmas tombola counts as a small game only if it is not automated, not intercantonal and not online.

What is the difference between a tombola, a small lottery and a large lottery?

An association meets three cases, and each follows a different regime.

  • The tombola: prizes in kind only, drawn at an entertainment event, with a limited total of stakes.
  • The small lottery: a local lottery with a permit from the canton.
  • The large lottery: online, automated or intercantonal, subject to a permit from Gespa.

Can you run a tombola without a permit?

Yes, within a narrow frame. The law (art. 41 LJAr) exempts from the small lottery permit those tombolas that offer only prizes in kind, whose ticket sales, draw and prize handover are directly tied to the event, and whose total stakes stay low. For a tombola, that ceiling is 50,000 francs.

That covers, for example, the association dinner with prizes donated by local shops. A hamper is a prize in kind, a sum of cash is not.

Why can your canton be stricter?

Because the law lets cantons add requirements, or even ban small games. Practice is therefore cantonal.

Two confirmed examples. Fribourg asks for no permit for a tombola that stays within the 50,000 franc limit, but it does ask for a notification to the prefecture. If part of the tickets is sold outside the event, a permit becomes necessary. St. Gallen generally exempts in-kind tombolas up to 50,000 francs, but requires a permit above that threshold.

What does the small lottery authorised by the canton involve?

When your tombola goes beyond the frame above, for example with cash prizes, you move to a small lottery. The organiser must be a legal entity under Swiss law, of good standing, that guarantees a transparent run. A foreign association cannot apply for one.

The limits set by the law and the ordinance are the following:

  • 10 francs at most per ticket;
  • 100,000 francs at most for total stakes, and 500,000 francs for an event of supraregional importance;
  • winnings of at least 50% of the maximum total stakes, with at least one winning ticket in ten;
  • two small lotteries at most per year per organiser.

The draw plan is drawn up in advance. The net proceeds must go entirely to public-benefit purposes, and you submit a report to the cantonal authority within 3 months.

Can you sell tickets online?

No, not as a small lottery. An online or intercantonal lottery is a large lottery, which requires a permit from the intercantonal authority, Gespa. Gespa states that large lotteries are offered in Switzerland only by Swisslos and by Loterie Romande.

So keep your tombola on site. St. Gallen also specifies that small online games are prohibited.

What about gift vouchers and drinks?

The sources differ. Fribourg lists gift vouchers among the prizes allowed for a tombola, while an extract from Gespa says the opposite. It is not confirmed as a general rule.

For gift vouchers, alcohol as a prize or the sale of drinks, ask your canton's authority before you announce anything. Fribourg also mentions a K licence (patente K) if the venue has no permit to run a licensed establishment.

Is a tombola a deductible donation?

No, do not confuse the two. A tombola ticket gives a chance to win, so it is not a voluntary gift without anything in return. No official source we read says this in black and white: as a precaution, do not issue a donation receipt for a ticket.

Keep the tombola and the call for donations separate in your communication. For the deduction, read the tax deduction for Christmas donations in Switzerland.

How to do it with WeGlow.world: the donation appeal next to the tombola

The tombola is played on site. For everything around it, WeGlow.world helps you, if your organisation is on it: a donation page in 3 steps, with one-off or monthly gifts, which you can show at your stand and which works on a phone.

Your supporters can also start their own action page to spread your appeal, and you can write a thank-you text. For a Christmas experience, four concepts exist, presented as concepts until the official launch:

  • the Glow Room, a 3D living room where each gift becomes a decoration on the tree;
  • the Starry Sky, where each gift becomes a star;
  • the Gift Yard, where you choose the setting (forest, village, frozen lake, cabin, library);
  • the Card Wall, envelopes hung on a string, each card carrying a stamp.

Do not offer prizes in exchange for an online donation. An online donation stays a donation, the tombola stays on site. You can start free with an account.

What schedule suits a Christmas tombola?

Plan for 6 weeks, more if your canton asks for a file.

  • 6 weeks before: contact the canton and the municipality, decide on the type of prizes;
  • 5 to 4 weeks before: collect prizes from about ten shops;
  • 3 weeks before: prepare the tickets, the draw plan and the donation page;
  • on the day: sell, draw, hand out the prizes.

For what comes next, see how to organise your Christmas action in Switzerland and our Christmas action ideas for a Swiss association. A specific question about WeGlow.world? Write to us.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Christmas tombola need a permit in Switzerland?

Not at federal level if it has only prizes in kind, is held at your event and stays under 50,000 francs in stakes. But the canton may require a notification or a permit, or ban it.

How much can a small lottery ticket cost?

At most 10 francs per ticket, for 100,000 francs in total stakes, and at least one ticket in ten must win.

Can you run an online lottery for Christmas?

Not as a small lottery: it is a large lottery, subject to a Gespa permit and offered by Swisslos and Loterie Romande.

Can a foreign association run a small lottery?

No. The organiser must be a legal entity under Swiss law, for example an association or a foundation. A foreign association does not meet that condition.

Are gift vouchers allowed as prizes?

It depends on the canton, the sources differ. Ask your canton's authority before you announce them.

Sources

Information checked on 9 October 2026. This is not legal advice: confirm your case with the cantonal authority. Changes after the law (2023) and the ordinance (2024) have not been confirmed.

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