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Overview
In Canada, gambling revenues have been used to fund not-for-profit organizations for over a century, and charitable gambling is often an important source of revenue. All provinces offer some form of licenced charity gambling, whereby charitable groups can run gambling events and use the proceeds for their causes. The most common forms of charity gambling include raffles (e.g., 50/50), bingo, sports pools, and break-open tickets. Typical charitable organizations range from school marching bands to homeless shelters to hospitals. In addition, some not-for-profit organizations in Canada are given grants funded by the provincial governments' gambling revenues.
Key points
Although charitable gambling was once thought to be a relatively harmless form of gambling, there has been a renewed interest into incorporating responsible gambling messaging, tools, and features into charitable gambling. Ongoing research is examining the link between charitable gambling and the development of gambling harms.
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References
Campbell, C. S., & Smith, G. J. (2003). "Gambling in Canada-From Vice to Disease to Responsibility: A Negotiated History". Canadian Bulletin of Medical History/Bulletin Canadien D'histoire de la Médecine, 20(1), 121-149.
Azmier, J. J., & Roach, R. (2000). The ethics of charitable gambling: A survey. Canada West Foundation.