The one-off step: declaration
In Victoria, raffles are run by organisations declared by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) as community or charitable organisations. Declaration is a one-off application through the VGCCC portal and lasts ten years. Many school communities are already declared — ask your school office or check with the VGCCC before assuming you need to apply.
Do we need a permit?
Once declared: raffles with total prizes of $23,060 or less (the 2026–27 figure — it indexes every July) need no permit, provided conditions like the three-month maximum ticket-sale period are met. Above that, a minor gaming permit is required — lodge at least 21 days ahead. School raffles almost never get near the line.
What tickets must carry
Victoria is explicit: tickets must be printed, and each ticket must show the organisation’s name, the prizes and their values, the draw date, time and place, how results will be notified, and the ticket price. Small raffles ($500 or less in prizes, drawn on the day) can use simple numbered books — numbered on both the butt and the ticket.
Records
Keep the raffle’s records — tickets distributed, proceeds, prizes and where the money went — for three years. Numbered ticket books make this mostly automatic: the numbers are the record.
The fine print: general information for school fundraisers, not legal advice. The current thresholds and conditions live with the VGCCC — check them for your exact case. Running a raffle in NSW instead? Here are the NSW rules.