“Only the Poor Will Suffer”: Public Pushback as GOB Cracks Down on Raffles

The Government of Belize is warning the public to stop all unlicensed gaming and raffle activities, calling them serious offences under national law.

In two separate public notices issued this week, the Ministry of Investment and the Lotteries Committee reminded citizens that operating slot machines, casino games, poker tables, or even raffles without proper authorisation is illegal and punishable under the Gambling Prevention Act and the Lotteries Control Act.

The government urged anyone currently involved in unlicensed gaming to “cease and desist immediately.”

Meanwhile, the Lotteries Committee stated that anyone planning to host a raffle with prizes totalling $500 or more must apply in writing for a licence or letter of authorisation.

These releases come around the time of year when many businesses host raffles for the Christmas season. This raises the question, who is licensed and who isn’t?

Some fundraisers are run on Facebook to support healthcare initiatives or other community causes. One person commented in response to the notice, “Only the poor people will suffer from this. Lots of single mothers do raffles to help support their children. People do raffles to raise funds for health and medical bills. This government doesn’t help no one when in need. Greed is the word.”

Another commented, “As a concerned Belizean, I find these raffle regulations unfair to ordinary people and community groups. Many of us hold raffles to help with medical needs, school activities, or emergencies—not for profit.”

Approved raffles are assigned a reference number, which must be printed on all tickets. Violators may face penalties upon summary conviction in court.

The Ministry also issued a separate warning in June about online gaming websites falsely claiming to hold Belizean licences. Belize currently has a moratorium on issuing online gaming licences, meaning no company is legally allowed to operate online gaming services from the country.

At the same time, the government is pushing forward with the proposed Gaming and Lotteries Control Bill 2025, aimed at modernising Belize’s gambling laws by merging four existing pieces of legislation into one streamlined framework. These include the Gambling Prevention Act, Computer Wagering Licensing Act, Lotteries Control Act, and Gaming Control Act.

However, after Senate debates in November, lawmakers agreed the bill needs further review before returning for approval.