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Hosting a raffle can turn the fun of an interactive game into a big win for nonprofit organizations or a bona fide chartered branch, and their supporters. While each state has its own laws, raffles are legal in Colorado for charitable organizations to engage in as a simple, accessible, and magnetic welcome for new donors.
Let’s be honest–raffle ticket sales and hosting your first event can feel like a maze of legal hoops and logistical headaches. The good news? We’ve got your back. Learn everything about hosting a raffle in Colorado, from bingo raffle license applications to compliance with state laws. This guide will help a qualified organization easily navigate the process and maximize fundraising potential.
What’s ahead: Colorado Raffle Laws: Are Raffles Legal? [2025]
The Colorado Charitable Gaming Board is the licensing authority that governs raffles in the state, defining the charitable gaming activity as:
“a game in which a participant buys a ticket for a chance at a prize with the winner determined by a random method as determined by rules of the licensing authority, or a pull tab ticket as described in subsection (36) of this section. The term "raffle" does not include any activity that is authorized or regulated by the state lottery division pursuant to article 40 of title 44 or the "Limited Gaming Act of 1991", article 30 of title 44.”
The key benefits of hosting a raffle include:
Engaging your community with a fun and interactive activity
Providing a fundraising opportunity to raise more, quickly
Offering a chance to win exciting prizes while supporting a worthy cause
As long as you adhere to the Colorado charitable gaming board rules and are a qualified organization, a raffle is a great way raise money.
A qualified organization that can obtain a bingo raffle license and host a raffle in Colorado must be a bona fide religious, charitable, labor, fraternal, educational, voluntary firemen’s, or veterans organization that:
Has a nonprofit, national or state organization, or bona fide chartered branch based in Colorado
Operates without profit
Has been operating for 5 years before applying for a bingo raffle license and stayed operating for the entire five year period
Has had an engaged membership during the entire five year period
Has at least one member currently certified or will be designated games manager when the bingo raffle license is issued
How to apply for a raffle license in Colorado: A step-by-step guide
Complete the Bingo and Raffles Games Manager Certificate Application
Access the online application through the Colorado Secretary of State’s website. Double-check that your organization's name, address, and key details match your qualified organization’s official records (Incomplete or mismatched information can delay approval).
Here's a glimpse at the bingo raffle license application Colorado:
Gather key documents
Be sure as a bingo raffle licensee you have everything you need in one place to make your application process a breeze. You must be ready to upload photos online, so obtain a .jpg, .gif, .png, or .tif image files, or a PDF copy. We suggest creating a digital folder with labeled PDFs for easy uploading.
Here’s what you’ll need according to the Colorado general assembly:
Proof of five years of continuous existence (e.g., incorporation certificate or tax filings).
Organization’s purpose and membership qualifications.
Copies of articles, by-laws, and membership roster.
Names and addresses of board members.
Designate your Games Manager
You must assign a certified Games Manager who has completed the state’s training program. Learn more about the training program, fees, and schedule needed in Colorado. Once training is completed, you’ll fill out a Games Manager Certificate Application/Oath to submit.
The training program test is open book and certificates typically arrive within 10 business days, and will be valid for 4 years. Once you have a certified games manager license number, you can officially apply for registration online.
Tips to choose a Games Manager:
Confirm credentials: Look for a licensed and experienced manager who understands Colorado raffle rules.
Prioritize expertise: Choose someone familiar with compliance and reporting requirements.
Seek recommendations: Ask other qualified organizations for referrals and check reviews.
Ensure transparency: Select a manager who communicates clearly and handles funds responsibly.
Submit your application with the required application fee
Submissions to become a bingo raffle licensee can be done online or mailed to:
Colorado Department of State Bingo-Raffles Division
1700 Broadway, Suite 550
Denver, CO 80290
You’ll have the flexibility to pay the $100 application fee through credit card or check, but online payments are a bit faster and allow instant confirmation, so you can go ahead and get started planning your raffle once approved. Approval can take up to six weeks
Requirements to host a raffle in Colorado
Raffle licensing and sample tickets
Good news! The state of Colorado doesn’t limit the number of raffles your qualified organization can host while your bingo-raffle license is active. However, if the total value of your raffle prizes exceeds $1,000, you must submit a voided sample ticket to the Secretary of State at least seven business days before the raffle. This allows time for review, which typically takes 5-7 days.
If your nonprofit decides to sell raffle tickets online by credit or debit card, all proceeds must be deposited directly into your dedicated bingo-raffle account.
You must create a raffle plan outlining whether purchasers will receive a “hard” ticket, how they will receive tickets, how the system produces and tracks tickets, and other related details.
You will be asked to submit screenshots of all pages from the landing page through any communications that purchasers receive from your organization.
If you are sending hard tickets by email or mail, the state of Colorado will ask to see a draft ticket.
Pro tip: The state recommends starting with an email to [email protected] to outline your raffle plan and get guidance from there.
How you can use the internet to support raffles in Colorado
Advertise your raffle. (Newsletters, banners, etc.)
Display the rules of the raffle
Store raffle contact information for your nonprofit, including the eligible organization’s name, address, telephone number, facsimile number, or e-mail address
Allow participants to download raffle entry forms for manual completion by raffle ticket purchasers. (But, the forms cannot be submitted online.)
Answer frequently asked questions
List descriptions, photographs, or videos of the raffle prizes
List the prize winners
Fundraising platforms like Zeffy can make the process of planning your online raffle simple, while keeping you organized and compliant with state reporting requirements (more on that soon!).
Good to know:
Colorado requires nonprofit organizations to keep all raffle ticket stubs and unsold tickets for six months following the quarter in which the raffle was held and all other required records for two years.
Usually, it's a good idea to plan on how you will let winners know they’ve won. This can be helpful information to add to your raffle registration form or promotions.
Here are some key rules that Colorado requires:
In-person drawing: Allow 30 minutes for winners to claim their prizes. If unclaimed, continue drawing until the prize is claimed.
Mail notification: Send certified mail within 30 days of the drawing. Include the prize, contact number, and claim details.
Online notification: Post winning ticket numbers and a contact number on your website within 24 hours of the drawing. Keep this up for at least 30 days.
Post-raffle reporting
After your raffle ends, your nonprofit must file a quarterly report detailing receipts, expenses, and how funds were used. Even if no sales or expenses occurred, you must submit a report marked “No Activity.”
Fees on gross receipts are due when filing, too. Any fees for a new or renewal license shall be deposited in the department of state cash fund. If you only host one raffle annually, you can file a final report and surrender your license to avoid future quarterly reports.
Reports are due on the last day of the month following the end of each calendar quarter. You can file your quarterly report online by creating or logging into your Colorado state Bingo-Raffle account.
For any questions or more support, you can always call the Bingo & Raffles program at 303-869-4910 or email [email protected].
Quick recap: 3 common pitfalls to avoid
To make sure your raffle has the highest potential of raising money without the risk of costly fines, we’ve outlined the pitfalls to avoid below as your go-to guide to ensure compliance. Colorado raffles law also covers a strip bingo game, pull tab games, bingo cards events, or any other way to raise charitable solicitations.
1. Overlooking the voided ticket submission
If your raffle prizes are worth more than $1,000, you have to send a voided, printed ticket to the Colorado Bingo-Raffles Division before you start selling. Missing this step could mean reprinting all your tickets — yikes.
Pro tip: Send a draft first to catch any errors before you hit print. It’ll save you a ton of headaches. Be sure to save it on your electronic device to use again in the future.
The state needs five to seven business days to review your draft or voided ticket. Plan ahead and get that draft in early to keep things running smoothly.
2. Not handling online sales the right way
Selling raffle tickets online? Awesome! But here’s the catch: Every single dollar must go directly into your bingo-raffle account. Plus, you’ll need a solid plan for how you’re tracking those sales and issuing tickets.
Pro tip: Lean on a raffle management software and send a detailed outline (with screenshots) to the state early in the process — they’ll appreciate it, and you’ll avoid any compliance nightmares.
3. Offering prohibited bingo and raffles prizes
We get it — alcohol can be a crowd-pleaser, but it’s 100% illegal to offer it as a raffle prize in Colorado for any bingo raffle licensee. Even one slip-up can cost you $75 per violation, and that can add up fast.
It’s also good to know that as of 2024, motor vehicle and real estate raffles have new rules:
For motor vehicles, you must file proof of ownership or have a contract with the owner and maintain a certificate of deposit to cover the purchase price in case the transfer fails.
For real estate, you need proof of ownership or a contract, plus a certificate of deposit or bond to ensure the prize’s value if the transfer falls through.
Pro tip: Stick to prizes that excite your audience and check in about what you plan to raffle off before the event to be sure you don’t end up at risk.
Good to know: Maximum fines for violations has increased
The passage of House Bill 24-1326 has increased the Secretary of State's fining authority, raising the maximum fine to $250 per violation and removing the provision for a fine in lieu of license suspension or revocation.
Host your raffle on Zeffy
You can use Zeffy’s raffle solution to have a successful fundraiser and manage the process and your supporters along the way.
Aside from selling raffle tickets online, Zeffy can help your nonprofit:
Create a simple form to add to your raffle website.
Automatically generate and send online raffle tickets.
Accept all payment types without paying all the fees.
Customize your nonprofit's forms and raffle tickets.
Stay in touch before, during, and after your event.
Yes. It is legal to host a raffle in Colorado as a nonprofit national or state organization with a valid license.
The following criteria make a qualified organization a bingo raffle licensee:
A nonprofit or bona fide chartered branch
National or state organization
Bona fide religious organization
Operating in existence continuously for the entire five year period in Colorado prior to the raffle
Active members in a veterans organization
Organizations without violations or license suspension from the charitable gaming board or Colorado State Fair Authority in years prior
Must designate funds to charitable solicitations and charitable purposes only
A tax exempt organization as per the internal revenue code
Licensing requirements come with an annual fee and require quarterly reports as per the Colorado Charitable Gaming Board.
Yes. With a valid bingo raffle license, you can sell tickets online and accept payment through credit and debit cards. You can use an online tool to make it easy to complete everything from raffle ticket sales to managing donors and winners, like Zeffy’s 100% free raffle solution.
Yes, if your prizes exceed $1,000, you must submit a voided, printed ticket to the Colorado Secretary of State before selling any tickets. For raffles under $1,000, this step is not required, but you still need to report the raffle in your quarterly filings.
The latest legislation from the Colorado General Assembly increased fines for noncompliance with bingo and raffle rules, as follows:
Class 1 violation: $175
Class 2 violation: $125
Class 3 violation: $50 for the first offense, $75 for repeated or deliberate violations.
The only thing you cannot award as a prize is alcohol, which carries a $125 fine per occurrence. It is also essential that the raffle licensee has full ownership of all merchandise used as a raffle prize. It must be free of any debt before raffle tickets are sold.
For more detailed information on offering bigger prizes (such as motor vehicles and real estate), see Rule 8: Raffles of Colorado Secretary of State Bingo and Raffle Games.
If you need some inspiration, check out our raffle basket ideas.
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