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Raffle Guidelines

Raffles are fun, easy and quick sources of revenue. Before you schedule your next raffle, review this information and contact us.

The Guild Association must file a Raffle Activity Report with the Washington State Gambling Commission each year. To have a Raffle Report form sent to you, contact the Guild Association project and compliance manager.

Please complete this raffle report (PDF 408KB) and return to us at the conclusion of your raffle.

Important things to know about raffles

1. Children's Hospital Guild Association holds a raffle license for all raffles conducted by our guilds.

2. You must fill out a Raffle Report each time you hold a raffle. To have a Raffle Report form sent to you, contact the Guild Association project and compliance manager.

3. If the raffle prize is valued at $600 or more, the winner must complete an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form W9 (PDF 78KB). Forward the form to the Guild Association. We will issue a W-2G and file it with the IRS. If the raffle prize is valued at $5,000 or more, taxes must be collected.

4. Liquor, tobacco and firearms cannot be offered as raffle prizes.

5. Maximum ticket price is $25.00. Ticket prices are not tax deductible.

6. By Washington state law, a special drawing involving a suggested “donation” constitutes a raffle. The non–tax-deductible entry price cannot exceed $25.00 per ticket. There can be no donation included in a raffle entry.

7. All chances must be sold for the same price. For example, if tickets are priced at $1 each, tickets cannot also be sold “six for $5.00” as an incentive for participants to purchase more.

While some forms of raffles may promote “stacking tickets,” the State Gambling Commission does not allow this promotional strategy.

8. Tear tickets may be used only if the raffle prize is awarded the same day the tickets are sold.

9. If raffle tickets are sold at multiple locations during a set period of time, each raffle ticket must include the following information:

  • Date, time and location of drawing
  • Cost per chance
  • Notation that proceeds benefit Children's Hospital
  • Description of the prize(s)
  • Notation as to whether or not the purchaser must be present to win

10. Tickets must have a stub with a number that matches the ticket number.

11. The Guild Association discourages “Best of Live” raffles because:

  • There are no tax deductions for the winner because raffle tickets are not tax deductible.
  • The winner could not select a wine- or alcohol-related package as their prize.
  • If the value of the prize selected exceeds $4,999, the winner must pay 25% of the value in income tax before they can claim the prize.