How to hold a bingo

 

You'll find here key conditions everyone must follow when holding a bingo in Yukon.

Familiarize yourself with these before applying for a licence. This will help you understand the legal requirements that come with holding this kind of gaming event.

If we approve your application, we'll send you a complete list of terms and conditions with your licence.

You should also refer to the Lottery Licensing Act Regulations.

Get a licence

• Ensure you have a licence before you hold a bingo.
• You must hold your bingo so that it meets:
  • your licence terms and conditions; and
  • Lottery Licensing Act Regulations.
• You must display your licence and its terms and conditions in a prominent place at the bingo venue.
• You must provide a copy of your licence and the terms and conditions, to anyone who asks for them.

Changes to your licence

• Your board of directors must approve licence change requests (for example, adding a game, or changing house rules).
• Submit your change requests in writing to our office at least 2 weeks before your event.

Compliance

You're responsible for ensuring your bingo complies with all applicable federal, territorial and municipal laws.

• Bingo games cannot be played in any room where liquor is sold or consumed.
• Players can only use cash or debit to buy cards.
• Providing credit or cashing cheques is not allowed.

Advertising

• All ads must include the licence number.
• You must not advertise outside Yukon.

Who can play?

• People physically present in Yukon can purchase tickets and play.
• You cannot play in a game if you are helping to run the game.

Where and when can games happen?

Games must take place on the date and time and at the location specified on your licence.

Who's responsible? Who can work a bingo?

• You're responsible for operating your bingo events.
• You cannot transfer or delegate responsibility to someone else.
• You may choose to use members or non-members of your organization as unpaid volunteers.
• Bingo workers may not, under any circumstances, be paid for this work.

Prizes

You must award all prizes identified on your licence at each bingo event.

Financial reporting

After a single event

• Download the bingo financial report form.
• You must submit a financial report within 30 days
• Your financial report must be completed, signed and notarized.
• If you were approved to use proceeds toward travel, you must also submit either a:
  • charitable gaming individual travel financial report; or a
  • charitable gaming travel financial report.
• If you submit your report in person at 307 Black Street in Whitehorse, a notary may be available free of charge.

If gross sales are $9,999 or less

• You do not need to submit supporting documents with your financial report.
• However, you must keep them on file for 1 year after your licence expires, in case we ask to see them.

If gross sales are over $10,000

With your financial report, you must submit:

• ticket distribution and sale records accounting for all tickets printed;
• invoices verifying all expenses and proceeds spent (we do not accept cancelled cheques as documentation);
• a copy of an official bank statement showing your organization’s:
  • name;
  • account number;
  • the effective date; and
  • a balance of at least the amount of any proceeds not yet spent.

Interim financial reporting

• You must submit a bingo interim financial report every 6 months until all of the proceeds are spent.
• You must include a bank statement to show that any unspent proceeds are still in your designated account.
• If your organization has spent any of the proceeds, include receipts to prove the proceeds were spent for approved uses.
• You can carry over unspent proceeds for 1 year from the expiry date on your lottery licence. If you are unable to spend all of the proceeds within the year, you must submit a proceeds carryover application.  

Who can prepare your financial report?

• Yourself.
• A professional accountant.

If you hire an accountant, the cost of their services is an allowable expense.

When can you get another licence?

After we receive satisfactory financial reports, you can apply for another licence.

For a multiple event licence

Download the financial report for bingo form.

Download the bingo control sheet, which is included in the bingo application form.

• You must submit:
  • financial reports every 3 months for the duration of your licence; and
  • a bingo control sheet and final report for all events within 30 days of your licence ending.
  • If you were approved to use proceeds toward travel, you must also submit either a:
    • charitable gaming individual travel financial report; or a
    • charitable gaming travel financial report.
• If you submit your report in person at 307 Black Street in Whitehorse, a notary may be available free of charge.

Interim financial reporting

• You must submit an interim financial report every 6 months until all of the proceeds are spent.
• You must include a bank statement to demonstrate that any unspent proceeds remain in your designated account.
• If your organization has spent any of the proceeds, include receipts to prove the proceeds were spent for approved uses.
• You can carry over unspent proceeds for 1 year from the expiry date on your lottery licence. If you are unable to spend all of the proceeds within the year, you must submit a proceeds carryover application.

What are proceeds?

Once you've paid all prizes and allowable expenses, the remaining money constitutes your gaming proceeds.

• On your application, you'll request specific proceed uses. To be approved, these must:
  • support your organization’s charitable work; and
  • comply with applicable case law and our policy.
• If you wish to use proceeds toward travel expenses, you must submit a charitable gaming request for travel form. 
• If you wish to change the way you use proceeds, you must request the change in writing from us before spending your proceeds.
• Any change request must meet the criteria above.