Can you sell raffle tickets online?
Updated July 8, 2026
It depends on your state. Many states' charitable-raffle laws require tickets to be sold in person and prohibit online or electronic sales; a few (like Montana and West Virginia) allow online raffles under specific registrations or licenses. Because the rules vary so much, most nonprofit raffles — including Sunday Squares — sell tickets in person, where buyers can still pay by card.
Why do so many states require in-person sales?
Most charitable-raffle laws were written to keep raffles local, small-scale, and easy to supervise, so they require tickets to be sold in person and bar online or electronic sales. It's one of the most common — and most overlooked — raffle rules.
Which states allow online raffle sales?
A few. Montana allows online raffle sales if the nonprofit registers with the state first, and West Virginia licenses “online raffles” as a separate category. Most other states still expect in-person sales. Always confirm with your state's charitable-gaming regulator before selling online.
What counts as selling “online”?
The restriction is on buying a ticket over the internet — not on how the buyer pays. In states that require in-person sales, a volunteer can still take a card payment at the point of sale; what's off-limits is completing the ticket purchase online.
The safe approach
Unless your state clearly allows it, sell tickets in person and accept cash, check, or card at the point of sale. Check your state's rules below before assuming online sales are allowed.
Frequently asked questions
Can you sell raffle tickets online?
It depends on your state. Many charitable-raffle laws require in-person sales and prohibit online tickets; a few allow online raffles under specific registrations or licenses.
Which states allow online raffles?
A few — for example Montana (with prior registration) and West Virginia (a separate online-raffle license). Most states still require in-person sales.
Can buyers still pay by card?
Yes. Even where tickets must be sold in person, a volunteer can take a card payment at the point of sale — the restriction is on completing the purchase online.
Keep reading
- Do you need a license to run a football squares fundraiser?Whether you need a license or permit to run a football squares raffle depends on your state — some require registration, some let small raffles run license-free, and a few ban paid raffles. Here's how to find out.
- Are football squares legal?Whether a football squares pool is legal depends on how it's run. Here's how football squares work as a charitable raffle — a nonprofit, in-person sales, and no house cut — and why the rules vary by state.
- Raffle rules by state →The registration, sales, and proceeds rules for all 50 states, with the official source for each.
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