Christmas raffle and lotto for a charity in France

Christmas raffle and lotto in France: mayor's authorisation (Cerfa 11823), prizes in kind, lotto under €20, penalties and a week-by-week plan.

In short A Christmas raffle needs the mayor's prior authorisation (Cerfa 11823), prizes in kind and sales on the spot. A traditional lotto stays free under a €20 stake, within a restricted circle. Penalties go up to €90,000 and 3 years in prison. Start eight weeks ahead.

This article describes the rules in France.

Many volunteers think a raffle is just a Christmas game. In France it is a lottery governed by law. This guide separates what is confirmed from what your town hall (the mairie) has to tell you.

Raffle or lotto: what is the difference for your association?

The raffle (tombola) is a lottery: you buy a ticket and a draw is held. In principle it is banned, except for associations under conditions. The traditional lotto (quine, rifle, poule au gibier) follows a looser but very narrow regime. Both assume a social, humanitarian, educational, sporting or cultural purpose.

The raffle: the mayor's authorisation, step by step

The law lets an association run a raffle if the proceeds go entirely to its purpose: scientific, social, family, humanitarian, philanthropic, educational, sporting or cultural, or animal and environmental protection. Here is what the official page confirms.

  • Prior authorisation from the mayor of the municipality where the registered office is. In Paris it is the police prefect (préfet de police).
  • The request is made with form Cerfa no. 11823.
  • With the first request, attach the association's statutes.
  • No authorisation, no raffle: sell no ticket before the answer.

Prizes in kind, never in cash

Prizes must be movable objects: a gift basket, a board game, a speaker, a weekend offered by a partner. No cash prizes. For a traditional lotto, vouchers are accepted as long as they cannot be refunded in cash.

A good rule for Christmas: ask local shopkeepers for prizes and thank them publicly. It keeps the local bond alive and limits your own purchases.

On the spot only: no online raffle

According to the service-public.gouv.fr page, a lottery run remotely is not permitted for associations. A Christmas raffle is therefore sold in person, in the hall, at the market or at the exit of a concert. Do not turn it into an online draw, even with a donation page.

Nothing stops you, however, from collecting donations online alongside, as a separate effort and without a draw. That is exactly the role of the donation page described below.

The traditional lotto: stake under €20, restricted circle

The traditional lotto needs no authorisation and no declaration, if all the conditions are met. If one is missing, it is an unauthorised lottery.

  • The organiser is not a gaming operator: it is a non-profit association.
  • The audience stays a restricted circle, a notion your mairie clarifies for your case.
  • The stake is of low value, under €20.
  • Prizes are neither in cash nor refundable.

Careful: a lotto repeated every week in a hall open to everyone is not considered a restricted circle, according to the official page. A Christmas lotto announced to the whole town on social media raises the same question.

The confirmed penalties

Running a lottery without following the rules exposes you to a fine of €90,000 and 3 years in prison, according to the official page. For a small association the risk goes beyond money: your reputation with donors and the town hall is at stake.

If you are unsure about the nature of your game, do not decide alone. Write to the mairie, describe the audience, the stake and the prizes, and keep the answer.

What we cannot confirm: ask your mairie

Some points circulate, but we do not present them as rules without having checked them at the source. Put these questions to your mairie, or to the prefecture service if it refers you there.

  • The time limit for an answer to your raffle request.
  • The thresholds above which financial documents or an additional opinion are requested.
  • The maximum share of organisation costs.
  • The tax treatment of raffle or lotto proceeds: ask your tax office.
  • What a "restricted circle" means for a lotto offered at a Christmas market.

What to do, week by week

Here is a planning calendar for an action in early or mid December. The durations are ours, not legal deadlines.

  • 8 to 7 weeks before: choose between raffle and lotto, check your statutory purpose, put your questions to the mairie.
  • 7 to 6 weeks before: file Cerfa 11823 with the statutes if you run a raffle.
  • 6 to 4 weeks before: ask for prizes in kind, 10 to 15 prizes for a small hall.
  • 3 weeks before: print the tickets, announce the action, prepare the donation page.
  • The week of the action: set up the cash desk, name someone in charge of the draw, note the winners.
  • Afterwards: thank donors and shopkeepers within 48 hours.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

WeGlow.world does not run your raffle: the draw takes place on the spot, with the mayor's authorisation. The platform does help you collect donations, alongside and separately from any game.

You create a donation page in three steps: amount, personal details, summary. It accepts one-off and monthly donations, each amount can carry a label, and it looks good on mobile. Your supporters can start their own action page. You can also write a thank-you text, sent after every donation.

Four Christmas experiences are in preparation: the Glow Room, a 3D living room where every donation becomes a decoration on the tree, the Starry Sky, the Gift Yard and the Card Wall. These are concepts until the official launch. You will find them on the WeGlow.world Christmas page. Create your account to start for free.

Need a broader frame? Read our Christmas action ideas for an association, the guide to organising a Christmas action in France and the article on the charity Christmas market.

FAQ

Does a Christmas raffle need authorisation?

Yes. The prior authorisation of the mayor of the registered office's municipality is required, with form Cerfa 11823 and the statutes with the first request. In Paris it is the police prefect.

Can you offer money as a prize?

No. Prizes must be movable objects. For a traditional lotto, a voucher is possible if it cannot be refunded in cash.

Can you run a raffle online?

No, the official page says remote lotteries are not permitted for associations. Sell your tickets on the spot and collect donations online separately, without a draw.

Is a Christmas lotto free of rules?

Only if it meets every condition: non-profit association, restricted circle, stake under €20, non-cash prizes. A regular lotto open to everyone does not fall within this frame.

What are the penalties for an offence?

The official page mentions a €90,000 fine and 3 years in prison. If in doubt, write to the mairie before selling a single ticket.

Sources

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