How Do I Apply for a Charitable Gambling License?

A license must be issued by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) before gambling takes place, including the promotion and sale of tickets. Applications should be received by DIAL at least 30 days prior to the intended start of activity.

Select Your License Length

The type of license you need will depend on the period of time for which you plan to conduct gambling activity in your organization.

• Qualified Organization License, 14-Day ($15)
• Qualified Organization License, 90-Day ($40)
• Qualified Organization License, 180-Day ($75)
• Qualified Organization License, One-Year ($150)
• Qualified Organization License, Two-Year ($150)
• Bingo at a Fair or Festival License ($50)
• Very Large Raffle License ($100)

What You Need to Apply

• A fully completed Charitable Gaming application
• State of Iowa Sales Tax Permit Number. All gambling activities are subject to state sales tax even for non-profit organizations. The only exceptions to this are gambling activities conducted by city/county government and county/state fairs. The Sales Tax Permit number should be reported on this application
  • If you have applied for a Sales Tax Permit and not yet received it, you may answer the question as "applied for." After your first license, a Sales Tax Permit number is required.
  • 501(c) 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, or 19 Organizations—A copy of the organization’s 501(c) determination letter from the IRS is the only acceptable document.
    • If your organization is a local chapter of a national non-profit 501c, the national 501c must be provided with an additional (link) letter from the national organization that holds the 501c stating that the local chapter falls under the group exemption status of the national 501c and is authorized to use that 501c.
    1. The applicant is part of the respective government entity.
    2. The proceeds derived from the gambling activity will be received, deposited, and appropriated by the same government entity or that the government entity has oversight of the bank accounts and how all the monies are spent.
    3. The applicant has oversight of the organization’s employees/volunteers and the selection/removal of those people.
    4. The applicant will act as the party to be held accountable regarding whether the gambling event is run in compliance with Iowa gambling law and rules.
    1. The organization is a fund-raising entity of the school or school district with the sole purpose of providing for the school or school district.
    2. The school or school district gives permission for the organization to conduct the gambling event.

    Send Documents

    Send all completed forms and applications to:

    Social & Charitable Gambling

    Dept. of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing

    6200 Park Avenue
    Suite 100
    Des Moines , IA 50321

    Email Address

    After You Apply

    Once the application with the required documentation is received, the DIAL will review the paperwork and, if approved, a license will be mailed out. Please note the license is not valid until received and only valid during the period mentioned on the license.

    You may call 515.281.6848 or send an email to scg@iowa.gov with any questions.

    Rules for Charitable Gaming Licenses

    License Type/Gambling Activity Permitted	Two-Year Qualified Organization*	One-Year Qualified Organization	180-Day Qualified Organization	90-Day Qualified Organization	14-Day Qualified Organization	Bingo at a Fair or Festival
    Bingo	Three occasions per week/15 occasions per month	Not allowed	Not allowed	Not allowed	Two total occasions	One occasion per day for length of event
    Games of Skill & Chance	Unlimited carnival-style games	Not allowed	Not allowed	Not allowed	Unlimited carnival-style games	Not allowed
    Game Night	One per calendar month	One per calendar month	One per calendar month	One per calendar month	One per calendar month	Not allowed
    Very Small/ Small Raffles	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Not allowed
    Large Raffles	One per calendar year	Eight per license period w/each raffle conducted in a different county	One per calendar year	One per calendar year	One per calendar year	Not allowed
    Very Large Raffles**	One per calendar year w/additional Very Large Raffle License	One per calendar year w/additional Very Large Raffle License	Not allowed	Not allowed	Not allowed	Not allowed
    Electronic Raffles	One small raffle per day; One large raffle per calendar year	Not allowed	Not allowed	Not allowed	Not allowed	Not allowed

    *An organization requesting a Two-Year Qualified Organization License must have been in existence for at least five years.
    **In addition to a One-Year or Two-Year Qualified Organization License, organizations wishing to conduct a Very Large Raffle will need to complete a separate Very Large Raffle License Application.

    Definitions

    1. Bingo Conducted at a Fair or Community Festival – License that allows bingo to be conducted for the duration of a fair or community festival of no more than six consecutive days in length held by a community group. Bingo occasions held under this license shall not be counted in determining whether a qualified organization has conducted the maximum three occasions per week or 15 occasions per month.
    2. Community Festival – A festival of no more than six consecutive days in length held by a community group.
    3. Community Group – An Iowa nonprofit, tax-exempt organization which is open to the general public and established for the promotion and development of the arts, history, culture, ethnicity, historical preservation, tourism, economic development, festivals or municipal libraries. “Community group” does not include a school, college, university, political party, labor union, fraternal organization, church, convention or association of churches or organizations operated primarily for religious purposes, or which are operated, supervised, controlled or principally supported by a church, convention of association of churches.
    4. Games of Skill and Chance – Includes but not limited to carnival-style games. They do not include casino-style games (See Game Night).
    5. Game Night – An event at which casino-style games may be conducted, in addition to games of skill and games of chance, within one consecutive 24-hour period.
    6. Raffle – A lottery in which each participant buys an entry for a chance at a prize with the winner determined by a random method and the winner is not required to be present to win. For raffles, the license duration must include your advertising, ticket sales, and drawing of the winner(s). A combination of licenses may be used to obtain the requested length of time.
    7. Very Small Raffle – A raffle where the total value of cash and/or merchandise prizes is $1,000 or less and the value of all entries sold is $1,000 or less, or the total value of donated merchandise prizes is $5,000 or less and the value of all entries sold is $5,000 or less.
    8. Small Raffle – A raffle where the total value of cash and/or prizes is more than $1,000 but not more than $10,000.
    9. Large Raffle – A raffle whether the total value of cash and/or prizes is more than $10,000 but not more than $100,000.
    10. Very Large Raffle – A raffle where the total value of cash and/or prizes is more than $100,000 but not more than $200,000 or if the prize is real property.