The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is pressing ahead with a proposal for the expansion of 50/50 e-raffle ticket sales in the province.

Listing 10 key points of the anticipated regulatory framework, the AGCO expects hospital foundations to obtain a 50/50 raffle licence to conduct and manage the e-raffle within convenience store(s). A licence fee of 1% of the prize board would then be paid to the AGCO after the event.

Convenience stores would also have to be registered with the AGCO as sellers, with hospital foundations expected to provide a list of seller locations.

As detailed by the Ontario Crown agency last week, the AGCO recently completed an engagement on the proposed approach in May, receiving 18 submissions from several sources including OLG, the Ontario Charitable Gaming Association, and the Commercial Gaming Association of Ontario (CGAO).

Seven convenience stores, six hospital foundations and one supplier also sent submissions in a bid to improve fundraising opportunities for Ontario’s charities.

The expanded framework will permit hospital foundation 50/50 e-raffle tickets to be sold in Ontario convenience stores by retail staff, using an electronic device.

An announcement on the formal framework and final regulatory requirements is expected in September, with applications to be accepted thereafter.

This timeframe will allow the AGCO to prepare internally to support the new framework whilst simultaneously giving hospital foundations, convenience stores and e-raffle solution providers the time to organize their individual activities.

Elsewhere, the AGCO recently announced Dave Forestell as new Chair of its Board of Directors, following the sudden resignation of Lalit Aggarwal.