Ohio Rev. Code » Chapter 2915
Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.092 (2026)

Raffles - Illegal conduct of raffle - penalties

✓ current as of May 2026
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Effective:
April 7, 2023
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 45 - 134th General Assembly
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(A)(1) Subject to division (A)(2) of this section, a person or entity may conduct a raffle to raise money for the person or entity and does not need a license to conduct bingo in order to conduct a raffle drawing that is not for profit if the person or entity is any of the following:

(a) Exempt from federal income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in subsection 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;

(b) A school district, community school established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code, STEM school established under Chapter 3326. of the Revised Code, college-preparatory boarding school established under Chapter 3328. of the Revised Code, or chartered nonpublic school;

(c) Exempt from federal income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in subsection 501(c)(4), 501(c)(6), 501(c)(7), 501(c)(8), 501(c)(10), or 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(2) If a person or entity that is described in division (A)(1)(c) of this section conducts a raffle, the person or entity shall distribute at least fifty per cent of the net profit from the raffle to a charitable purpose described in division (V) of section 2915.01 of the Revised Code or to a department or agency of the federal government, the state, or any political subdivision.

(B) Except as provided in division (A) of this section, no person shall conduct a raffle drawing that is for profit or a raffle drawing that is not for profit.

(C) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of illegal conduct of a raffle. Except as otherwise provided in this division, illegal conduct of a raffle is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of a violation of division (B) of this section, illegal conduct of a raffle is a felony of the fifth degree.

Last updated February 28, 2023 at 10:47 AM

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 2009–2020 · leading case: T & M Machines, L.L.C. v. Atty. Gen., 2020 Ohio 551 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020).
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T & M Machines, L.L.C. v. Atty. Gen., 2020 Ohio 551 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020). “Count 1 seeks a declaratory judgment that certain Electronic Raffle Machines ("ERMs") which are leased to various charitable organizations by T & M Machines are "raffles" permitted to be used by charitable organizations, pursuant to R.C. 2915.092, and not a "scheme of chance"…”
State v. Michel, 908 N.E.2d 456 (Ohio Ct. App. 2009). “02(A)(5), misdemeanors of the first degree; and one count of raffles in violation of R.C. 2915.092(B), a misdemeanor of the first degree.”
Vets. & Fraternal Charitable Coalition v. DeWine, 2018 Ohio 4679 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 8× “{¶ 24} Appellants argue their ERMs conduct raffles as contemplated in R.C. 2915.092. Thus, to be entitled to relief, appellants must demonstrate that the ERMs meet the definition of raffle as stated in R.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.092(A) — 1 case
Vets. & Fraternal Charitable Coalition v. DeWine, 2018 Ohio 4679 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018). “{¶ 24} Appellants argue their ERMs conduct raffles as contemplated in R.C. 2915.092. Thus, to be entitled to relief, appellants must demonstrate that the ERMs meet the definition of raffle as stated in R.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.092(B) — 1 case
State v. Michel, 908 N.E.2d 456 (Ohio Ct. App. 2009). “02(A)(5), misdemeanors of the first degree; and one count of raffles in violation of R.C. 2915.092(B), a misdemeanor of the first degree.”
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