For many Alberta community associations, a charitable casino is the biggest single source of money the board controls. It's also a long process with a lot of paperwork, often run by a volunteer who did it once, years ago. This guide pulls together what AGLC (Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis) publishes, so the next casino chair isn't starting from scratch.
Check the source
This summary is based on AGLC's public pages as of October 2026. AGLC's Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook is the binding document. AGLC's eligibility analysts can be reached at 780-447-8600 or 1-800-272-8876.
Who is eligible
According to AGLC's charitable casino licence page, an eligible charitable or religious group must:
- have volunteers from Alberta who create, control and deliver a charitable program,
- have an elected executive chosen from the volunteer members,
- have no paid members,
- have charitable programs available to all members of the public who wish to take part,
- be incorporated in a form acceptable to AGLC, and
- have bylaws that follow AGLC policy.
The charitable purpose must fall under one of four heads: relief of poverty, advancement of education, advancement of religion, or other purposes beneficial to the community. Community associations, sports clubs and heritage-language schools typically apply under the last two.
Applying for eligibility
A group that has never held a casino licence completes AGLC's Eligibility for Gaming Licence application. AGLC's checklist asks for:
- meeting minutes authorizing the application,
- your certificate of incorporation,
- your operating bylaws,
- a current list of the elected executive, with addresses and phone numbers,
- a current membership list, with addresses and phone numbers,
- the last 12 months of financial statements,
- a budget for the current or upcoming fiscal year, and
- a land title certificate or lease, if you own or rent a facility for your programs.
There's no fee to apply. AGLC says a complete application takes about six weeks to review, and the decision comes in writing. The membership list is where many associations stall: if yours lives in three spreadsheets, fix that first.
Regions and wait times
AGLC assigns each licensed group to casino events in one of 10 regions. Only groups based in Edmonton or Calgary can hold casino events in those cities. AGLC's distribution of revenue page notes one exception: rural groups outside Calgary are assigned events at Century Casino in Calgary, because there's no casino close to them.
The wait is long. AGLC's casino page says wait times across regions vary from approximately one and a half years to more than three years; its revenue page puts the range at 17 to 41 months. That's why continuity matters: the person who applies is often not the person who runs the event.
As the casino gets closer
AGLC first mails the casino chairperson the quarter and year of your event, and when the specific dates will be scheduled. Then:
- Five months before your quarter, AGLC sends the casino chair information and instructions. For a January to March event, that arrives in August.
- At least 60 days before the event, you must return three forms: the Casino Licence Application, the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Request, and the Casino Volunteer Worker Application.
- Hire a casino advisor. Each licensed group pays one or two AGLC-registered advisors, depending on location, who make sure the group follows the rules. AGLC gives you the list to choose from.
- Run the event following AGLC's Casino Licensee Terms & Conditions and Operating Guidelines (Charities).
Your volunteers are named on the Casino Volunteer Worker Application, so build the roster early. Casino shifts are long and often late; a sign-up system that shows who has committed, and sends reminders, saves the chair a lot of phone calls.
Proceeds: when they arrive and how to use them
Groups that held a casino event in the same region and quarter receive an equal share of that region's proceeds. AGLC pays by electronic funds transfer about six to eight weeks after the end of the quarter; a February event is paid by mid to late May.
From AGLC's use of proceeds page:
- Proceeds may only be used for expenses essential to your charitable programs, and every use must follow the Handbook.
- AGLC keeps a Current Use of Proceeds List for your group. You can add or change uses at any time with a Request to amend use of gaming proceeds, signed by a current executive member.
- Proceeds must be used within 36 months of receipt. Extensions need prior written approval.
- Cost recovery applies: proceeds can only cover eligible costs not already covered by other revenue, such as program fees, hall rentals or grants.
- Some uses need specific forms, including paying wages or salaries, donating proceeds, and community events of $100,000 or more.
AGLC lists common use categories including administrative expenses, accounting fees, community events, facility operations, facility renovations, program-related expenses, sports groups, volunteer event expenses and more. If you want to use proceeds for a website or software, check it fits your approved uses before you spend.
Financial reporting
Per AGLC's financial reporting page, every group completes a yearly financial report for each type of gaming licence (raffles of $20,000 or less have their own process). AGLC mails or emails it to your treasurer, and it's due within 60 days of the date AGLC sends it, along with copies of bank statements, cancelled cheques, invoices and receipts.
Two practical habits make this far easier:
- Keep casino money separate. Proceeds arrive in your casino bank account; pay approved expenses from it and keep every receipt with a note of which approved use it falls under.
- Keep your executive list current with AGLC, so the report reaches whoever is treasurer now. AGLC won't process new applications while required reports are outstanding.
Requesting your next casino
You can't request another event until you've completed the current one. Once you have, submit a Request for Casino Licence. Given the wait, it's worth putting the request on the board's calendar right after each event, and recording it in your minutes.
How PartOf helps
- Licence cycle tracking: the event quarter, the 60-day form deadline, the reporting deadline and the next request, so the knowledge outlives any one casino chair.
- A current member list and executive list, ready for the eligibility application.
- Volunteer sign-ups for casino shifts, with reminders and an hours ledger.
- Expense claims with receipts, tagged to the approved use, for the treasurer's report.
Casino licence tracking runs today at a Calgary community association. See PartOf for community associations.
Sources
- AGLC: Charitable casino licences (eligibility, application, regions, wait times, forms, advisors, proceeds)
- AGLC: Distribution of revenue (17 to 41 month wait, Century Casino exception)
- AGLC: Use of gaming proceeds (36 months, cost recovery, forms)
- AGLC: Financial reporting for charities (60-day deadline)
- AGLC: Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook
- AGLC: Casino Licence Application form (May 2024) (financial reports must be current before new applications are processed)