Lorne Kusugak is Nunavut’s minister of community and government services. His department is warning residents that it’s a criminal offence to hold a lottery fundraiser without a licence. (File photo)
Nunavut government warns against unlicensed lotteries
“It is unlawful to hold an unlicensed lottery event or fundraiser in Nunavut.”
The Government of Nunavut is warning residents that it’s against the law to fundraise by holding a raffle without a lottery licence.
“Nunavummiut should be careful when participating or purchasing tickets for any lottery where a licence number is not clearly visible,” says a news release from the Department of Community and Government Services.
“It is unlawful to hold an unlicensed lottery event or fundraiser in Nunavut. If you are concerned of possible fraud from an unlicensed lottery, please contact your local RCMP detachment.”
Lottery licences are only available for charitable or religious purposes in the territory.
However, being a not-for-profit or religious organization does not provide automatic status as a charitable organization.
To find out if an organization qualifies for a lottery licence, the department says to contact the Consumer Affairs office at 1-866-223-8139.
This is mentioned couple times a year.. but has anyone ever been charged with operating a lottery without a licence in Nunavut before? Not likely.
They are not going to charge a family that is doing a raffle to try raise money for people to go to a funeral, just because they do not have a licence.
I think we all know that illegal lotteries are happening all the time, weekly if not daily,, in every community. Generally the only things that have licenses are bingos and nevada pulls and even in those cases not always.
Sports teams, committees, pop up groups, personal interest groups, etc…. are constantly holding fundraisers of some type -raffles, pools,etc- and some of them are pretty sketchy and a little too personal. Anyone running a fundraiser is suppose to display their lottery license. All it would take is one person/group of people in a community to be charged with running an illegal lottery to cleanup everyone’s act. There’s no point in warning people a couple times a year if you never take any action.
i once fell victom to what the constable called a fishing scan . i had received a message from a young man who claimed to be my long lost son . i was filled with joy and i wanted to have a word with this young man’s mother before she tried to contact my home first . I could only imagin what that sort of news would do to my poor nervous wife . in order to move things along i provided my new son with all he asked of me such as my cridit card and a picture of me . he was quite pleased and then stopped corresponding .
the constable came to my door a week later and told me that i was caught in a fishing scan . i was proud to know my son was a fishermen . i often wonder how he fishes with a scanner . perhaps he can show me if ever we go on a fishing trip someday . i will show him how us old boomers fish with a trustee rod and hook !
Harold your post are always funny but I don’t know if you are serious or not sometimes. Phishing is not funny, here is a description I found on Phishing and Spear Phishing: Phishing and spear phishing
Phishing targets a group of people by simulating a legitimate message from a
trusted sender, such as an email from your political party or a foundation that you
support. Phishing messages usually offer good news (e.g. someone is donating to
your campaign) or include a threat (e.g. someone has information about you that
will be released to the media). Either way, the aim of these emails is to get you to
give up personal information or click on malicious links and attachments.
Spear phishing messages are like phishing messages, but are tailored to you based
on your line of work, your interests, or personal characteristics. Keep in mind that,
as a public figure, it is easy for threat actors to gather information about you.
Why should lottery licenses be awarded for “religious purposes”? This practice should stop.
Lottery license in Sanikiluaq is now $400 per event (even for 50/50 draws which are free everywhere else in nunavut) compared to $50 per event in the rest of nunavut. But apparently, only the local daycare has to pay that fee – the fee is waived for all other groups. Looking forward to the next hamlet council election…
Can we also address the real issue: many nunavummiut have serious gambling problems. Whether it be 50-50, bingo, patik gambling houses, there are too many people living paycheck to paycheck blowing money on this stuff. I hate gambling and have no problem saying no to people selling (unless it’s someone in desperate need of money, then I just give them to money). But I often wonder how people going around offices selling tickets hurts people who want to quit gambling. I dont want to shame anyone selling tickets, but I dont think every single situation requires a shady 50-50. The effort put into selling tickets could easily be redirected towards getting funds through other means.
So much gambling! Is there no other way to raise money? It is gambling, and it is an addiction for so many people! No one seems to talk about it though. 50/50, bingo, raffles, patik. People can’t get enough, even though so many can’t really afford it. On Fridays I can’t tell you how many emails I get at work about 50/50, raffles, etc.
Individuals hold draws and 50/50’s all the time in some communities, sometimes for no reason at all, they just want money!
I always love the raffles on FaceBook community sites…
$20.00 per slot (30 slots) and when its all said and done and they actually draw (if they draw), low-and-behold their sister wins the mitts lol….
So they get $600.00 and the sister gets the mitts…
Anyone who falls for these are as dumb as they get.
But then again everyone keeps selling Tabaco products online to… No one really cares, like said above; what, the GN is gonna charge someone for some $200.00 scam, anyone who takes this news article as a warning is as gullible as whoever buys the tickets.
You’re there and we are here. Your “bulletin” Is just what it is, a bulletin; a letter without authority.
CGS used to do a good job at only allowing the fundraisers with licenses to occur. Now they are doing nothing and a lot of people are scamming people for their own benefit…there r ar least 5 a day posted on Facebook for iqaluit. I think CGS has do their job and fine people if they continue to operate without a license. This is not a practice that should be enabled to continue. Do your job beaurocrats
Why aren’t lottery licence fees consistent across the territory? People just make things up as the go along –including members of the hamlet. Even community members– people selling tickets for a draw on a pair of kamik — who actually observes that the draw takes place in an unbiased way. People are so gullible.
Gambling addictions are rampant –and its the kids that suffer the most.
Ha –Sanikiluaq and it’s bingo license issues is back again. Why is the hamlet so unsupportive of the Daycare? The Daycare lets the hamlet and recreation use their tv channel to run their bingos– the daycare doesn’t have to do that. So now the hamlet is charging the daycare $400 per weekly bingo, but either the hamlet and recreation are exempt or simply get handed back the $400.
Pure corruption & greed: that the hamlet should get the first $400 in profits form any bingo funds raised –why does this weird hamlet think they are entitled to benefit off of the hard work of others?
Back in the fall it was the same hamlet monopolizing bingo license and days of the week. Why does CGS not step in? The hamlet which oversees licences continues to repeatedly operate with bias in support of themselves and branches with in the hamlet
Check out hamlet of arviats new system unning all bongos now and taking 50% of all profits. Other half distributed to any group/person that applies. With only council making the call about who gets it. Sheesh.