Each definition is short and neutral. Where useful, it points to the legal framework, to the features that use the term, or to the FAQ. Points that call for precise verification (the exact reference of a form, amounts, deadlines) are flagged with a marker of this kind, pending confirmation from official sources. This site is being expanded: some sources remain to be verified and the content is completed as updates are made.
The terms (A → T)
- Association (loi 1901)
- Prior authorization
- Beneficiary
- Ticket
- Non-profit purpose (but désintéressé)
- Issue capital
- CERFA (form)
- CNIL
- Commissaire de justice
- Declaration
- Don manuel
- Foundation
- Fonds de dotation
- Lottery
- Prize
- Mécénat
- Ceiling on the issue capital
- Proceeds
- Reçu fiscal
- Raffle rules
- GDPR
- Stub (or counterfoil)
- Draw
- Verifiable draw
- Tombola (raffle)
Association (loi 1901)
A group of people brought together around a common project, with no aim of sharing profits among its members, governed in France by the law of 1st July 1901. It is the type of body that most often runs a raffle, alongside schools, clubs and foundations. Its non-profit purpose determines access to the exception that permits the raffle.
Prior authorization
Approval given by the competent authority before a raffle is launched, when the operation does not fall under a simple declaration or under an exemption. The application is made by means of a CERFA form accompanied by supporting documents. The exact division between authorization, declaration and exemption depends on the scale of the operation. See the legal framework.
Beneficiary
The body or cause for whose benefit the raffle is organized and to which the funds collected go. The beneficiary must pursue a non-profit purpose; the sums cannot be diverted towards a private interest. It is the identity of the beneficiary that gives the operation its meaning, and it must be announced clearly to participants.
Ticket
An instrument of participation, sold at a unit price, which opens up a chance of winning a prize at the draw. The ticket may be on paper (with a stub kept by the organizer) or digital (as offered by GoTombola). The number of tickets issued multiplied by their price forms the issue capital. The choice between paper and digital is dealt with in the features.
Non-profit purpose (but désintéressé)
A non-profit-making aim such as charity, the encouragement of the arts, or support for a non-profit sporting activity, which justifies a raffle escaping the general prohibition on lotteries. “Désintéressé” means that the funds serve the purpose of the body and not the enrichment of a third party.
Issue capital
The total amount put into circulation by a raffle, calculated as number of tickets issued × unit price. For example, 1,000 tickets at €2 represent an issue capital of €2,000. It is a theoretical figure, fixed before sales begin: the issue capital is not the proceeds, which depend, for their part, on the tickets actually sold. It serves as the reference for the declaration formality and is bounded by ceilings. Details in the dedicated feature.
CERFA (form)
A standardized administrative form, identified by a number, used in particular to apply for authorization to run a raffle. It is filled in and sent to the competent authority with the required documents. For the exact number of the “loterie / tombola” CERFA, see the legal framework that covers it.
CNIL
Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés: the French authority responsible for overseeing compliance with personal data protection, within the framework of the GDPR. It publishes recommendations that are useful for handling participants' contact details and displaying winners. Putting this into practice is detailed in the feature on protecting participants' data.
Commissaire de justice
A public and ministerial officer, a profession resulting from the bringing together of those of huissier de justice (court enforcement officer) and commissaire-priseur judiciaire (judicial auctioneer). Their presence at the draw may be requested in order to witness how it unfolds and to attest that it was conducted properly; it is not systematically compulsory and depends on the operation. The FAQ addresses this question.
Declaration
The formality by which the organizer brings the raffle to the attention of the competent authority, when the operation does not require a more formal authorization. Like the authorization, it comes before tickets are sold. The division between declaration, authorization and exemption depends on the scale of the operation. See the legal framework.
Don manuel
A sum (or an asset) handed over voluntarily and with nothing given in return to a body. During a raffle on GoTombola, for example, a participant may add a donation to the purchase of their ticket: this donation is separate from the purchase, does not count towards the issue capital and must be tracked separately. Unlike the ticket, it may, under certain conditions, give entitlement to a reçu fiscal. See additional donations.
Foundation
The irrevocable allocation of assets or resources to the realization of a work of general interest on a non-profit basis. Like associations, certain foundations may run a raffle as long as the purpose remains non-profit. To be distinguished from the fonds de dotation, which is more flexible to set up.
Fonds de dotation
A non-profit funding structure that receives and manages assets and donations in order to redistribute them to a work of general interest or to finance its own mission. Created to offer a flexible framework for mécénat, it differs from the foundation in its lighter constitution [precise legal and tax regime to be verified — source to be confirmed].
Lottery
An operation that holds out the hope of a win due to chance in exchange for a financial sacrifice by the participants. Under French law, lotteries are prohibited as a matter of principle, apart from strictly regulated exceptions — among them the raffle of objects for a non-profit purpose. The raffle is therefore a lottery permitted by way of exception. See the legal framework.
Prize
An item handed to the holder of a winning ticket at the end of the draw. Under the non-profit exception, these are movable objects (and not money). Each prize is presented honestly, with its nature and its estimated value. Assembling and valuing prizes is dealt with in the features.
Mécénat
Material or financial support given, without equivalent consideration in return, to a work or to a person for the pursuit of activities of general interest. Mécénat, often the act of companies, is distinct from sponsorship (which, for its part, expects something in return in terms of communication). It may take the form of a don manuel and, under certain conditions, give entitlement to a tax advantage [mécénat regime to be verified — source to be confirmed].
Ceiling on the issue capital
The regulatory limit set on the issue capital of a raffle. Above a certain amount, the applicable regime may change (for example, moving from declaration to authorization, or strengthened obligations). The capital must therefore be calculated before choosing the formality. See the legal framework.
Proceeds
The sum actually taken in through the sale of tickets. It depends on the number of tickets effectively sold and therefore differs from the issue capital, which corresponds to the whole of the tickets issued. Confusing the two distorts the budget monitoring of the operation.
Reçu fiscal
A document issued by an approved body attesting to a donation and allowing, under certain conditions, a tax reduction for the donor. A reçu fiscal can only cover a donation, never the purchase of a ticket — which offers the prospect of a win and therefore constitutes something given in return. Issuing one presupposes that the body is eligible [eligibility conditions and tax regime to be verified — impots.gouv.fr]. See additional donations.
Raffle rules
The document that sets out and makes public the rules of the operation: the nature and value of the prizes, the price and number of tickets, the date and arrangements for the draw, the conditions for taking part and for handing over the prizes, and the organizer's contact details. It secures the operation and informs participants clearly. The FAQ sets out what it usefully contains.
GDPR
General Data Protection Regulation: the European text that governs the collection and processing of personal data. For a raffle, it requires in particular collecting only the data that is necessary (minimization), stating the purpose of that data, keeping it for a limited time [retention period ~18-24 months to be verified — source to be confirmed] and displaying winners soberly (for example first name, initial and ticket number). Supervisory authority in France: the CNIL. See the feature on participants' data.
Stub (or counterfoil)
The part of a paper ticket that the organizer keeps at the time of sale: it bears the ticket number and, where applicable, the buyer's contact details. Stubs serve as the basis for the draw and make it possible to trace and contact the winner. Handling them comes under the rules of the GDPR. In the case of a raffle with digital tickets, as offered by GoTombola, the dematerialized equivalent of the stub is the digital record that links the ticket number to the buyer's contact details and likewise serves as the basis for the draw.
Draw
The operation by which the winning tickets are designated, at random, from among all the tickets sold. It must be fair: every ticket has the same chance of being drawn. Depending on the operation, it may be witnessed by a commissaire de justice. A digital draw gains from being verifiable.
Verifiable draw
A digital draw designed to be reproducible and checkable: starting from a piece of randomness displayed publicly, a fair shuffling algorithm (often the Fisher-Yates algorithm) allows anyone to replay the draw and obtain the same result. Transparency thus takes the place of simple trust. See the feature on paper or digital tickets.
Tombola (raffle)
A lottery of movable objects organized for non-profit ends (charity, the arts, amateur sport): tickets are sold, then a draw designates the winning tickets, which give entitlement to prizes. Permitted by way of exception to the prohibition on lotteries, it presupposes a non-profit purpose and compliance with a prior formality (declaration or authorization). It is the central term of this glossary.
See also
- Legal framework — the precise legal meaning of certain terms.
- FAQ — the terms placed back into concrete questions.
- Features & guides — the vocabulary in context.