To be eligible for a lottery licence, an applicant must qualify either as an eligible charitable organization or as a non-profit organization with charitable objects or purposes.
There is no general statutory definition of “charity” and “charitable.” Although there are many worthwhile activities and causes, not all are considered charitable. An essential and common element in the determination of what is charitable is the provision of “public benefit.” What is considered to benefit the public does not remain constant. It changes with the changing values and needs of society and reflects the social conditions of the time.
In order to determine which organizations are eligible for lottery licences, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) uses the four charitable classifications described in the next sections. In order to qualify for a lottery licence, an organization must demonstrate that it exists to provide services in one of the four charitable classifications. In addition, an eligible organization must also meet all of the following criteria:
An organization may have objects or purposes that focus its activities towards a specific segment of the community, for example, Indigenous persons, senior citizens or people with physical or developmental disabilities. Such organizations may be eligible if their objects or purposes and activities fall within one of the four charitable classifications. A licensing official must assess the activities of the organization in order to determine whether the organization is eligible and, if so, within which of the four charitable classifications it falls: