Do you need a license to run a football squares fundraiser?
Updated July 8, 2026
It depends on your state. Many states require an eligible nonprofit to register or get a permit before selling raffle tickets; some let small raffles run without a license; and a few (Alabama, Hawaii, and Utah) don't allow paid raffles at all. A private pool among friends is usually low-risk, but anything public or fundraising should follow your state's charitable-raffle rules.
Do all states require a license?
No — the rules vary a lot. States fall into three broad buckets: those that require a license, permit, or registration before you sell tickets; those that let small raffles run license-free under a dollar threshold; and a few that don't allow paid raffles at all.
- License or registration required — for example California, New York, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.
- Small raffles exempt under a threshold — for example Missouri, Minnesota, and Oregon.
- Paid raffles not allowed — Alabama, Hawaii, and Utah (a free-entry drawing is the alternative).
Who issues the license?
That varies too. Depending on the state, raffle licensing runs through the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, a state gaming or lottery commission, the Department of Revenue, your county sheriff or treasurer, or your city or town — and in some states you need both a local permit and a state registration.
What if you're just running an office pool?
A small, private pool among friends where no one takes a cut is low-risk in most places. Once you're selling to the public or raising money for an organization, treat it as a charitable raffle and follow your state's rules — that's the safe, legal path.
How do you find your state's rule?
Start with the state-by-state guide below, then confirm the current details with your state's charitable-gaming regulator before you sell any tickets — the specifics (thresholds, fees, deadlines) change.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license to run a raffle?
It depends on your state. Many states require an eligible nonprofit to register or get a permit first; some exempt small raffles under a dollar threshold; and a few don't allow paid raffles at all. Check your state's charitable-gaming rules.
Which states don't allow paid raffles?
Alabama, Hawaii, and Utah generally don't permit paid-ticket charitable raffles. In those states, nonprofits use a free-entry prize drawing (a sweepstakes) where no purchase is required to enter or win.
Who gives out raffle licenses?
It varies by state — the Secretary of State, Attorney General, a gaming or lottery commission, the Department of Revenue, a county sheriff or treasurer, or your city or town. Some states require both a local permit and a state registration.
Keep reading
- 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.
- How to run a football squares fundraiserA step-by-step guide to running a football squares fundraiser for your nonprofit — picking a game or a full season, pricing and selling tickets in person, drawing the numbers fairly, and paying the winners.
- Raffle rules by state →The registration, sales, and proceeds rules for all 50 states, with the official source for each.
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