Trade promotion lotteries
A business promotes its goods or services with a free-to-enter draw. Buying the product at its normal price is allowed; a separate entry fee is not.
AU Australia · Guide
Trade promotions in Australia.
In Australia, businesses run free-to-enter trade promotion lotteries and charities run raffles and art unions, each regulated by state and territory. A federal change arrives on 1 January 2027.
01 At a glance
The short version.
- Trade promotions
- Free to enter, beyond buying goods or services at their normal price
- Permits needed
- NSW over $10,000, ACT over $3,000, SA at $5,000 or more, NT over $5,000
- No permit
- Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania
- Charity raffles
- Regulated by each state, for example Queensland licenses raffles with ticket sales over $50,000
- 2027 change
- Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Act 2026 takes effect on 1 January 2027
02 The models
Three ways draws run.
Businesses promote trade. Non-profits raise funds. The rules for each come from the state or territory where the draw runs.
Charity raffles
Non-profits run raffles under state rules that set licence thresholds and how much must go to the cause.
Art unions
Larger charity lotteries. In NSW, art unions with a prize pool over $30,000 need an authority, and at least 30% must go to the organisation.
+ Know before you run
What operators need to know.
- Permit thresholds differ by state and territory, and a national promotion must satisfy every one it runs in.
- South Australia also requires a licence for any instant scratch promotion.
- From 1 January 2027 the Gambling Reform Act narrows what counts as a trade promotion. As introduced, it must mainly promote trade, be incidental to selling goods or services, charge nothing beyond fair market value and offer no ongoing or recurring entry.
- Subscription and membership rewards clubs are the clear target. In 2026 NSW cancelled one operator's authority and another operator was fined.
- Charity raffles and art unions follow separate state rules on licences and the share of proceeds for the cause.
03 Questions
Common questions.
Do I need a permit for a trade promotion in Australia?
It depends where it runs. NSW requires an authority for prizes over $10,000, the ACT a permit over $3,000, South Australia a licence at $5,000 or more and the Northern Territory a permit over $5,000. Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania require none.
Can a trade promotion charge an entry fee?
No. Entrants can be asked to buy goods or services at their normal price, but not to pay to enter.
What changes on 1 January 2027?
The Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Act 2026 takes effect and tightens what counts as a trade promotion. Subscription and membership-based draw models are the main target.
Can charities run raffles online?
Charities run raffles under state rules, which set licence thresholds and minimum returns to the cause. Check the rules in each state where tickets are sold.
Sources
- Trade promotions, NSW Government
- Art unions, NSW Government
- Trade promotions, ACT Gambling and Racing Commission
- Trade promotions, South Australia
- Trade promotion lotteries, VGCCC
- Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill, Parliament of Australia
General information, not legal advice. Rules change and depend on exactly how a draw is run, so take advice for your own model. Reviewed September 2026.
04 Access
Running promotions in Australia? Talk to us.
Every Blockdraws draw is sealed in advance and leaves a public record anyone can check, under your own brand.
Blockdraws is white-label draw software with every draw verifiable by anyone. Available by application.
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