How to Sell Raffle Tickets and Take Donations by Card at a Charity Gala or Trivia Night

You can sell raffle tickets and take donations by card at a gala or trivia night by turning your volunteers' own phones into tap-and-go payment points, with QR codes covering tables and programs. The permit and tax side sits with your charity and your state or territory gaming regulator, not with the payment app. Pebl Collect gives Australian charities the card tools for the night, while your committee looks after the raffle permit and the prize draw.

How do you take raffle ticket payments by card on the night?

Set up your ticket products before the night so volunteers are not doing maths at the table. Build single tickets, bundles, table deals and a plain donation option in the app ahead of time. A volunteer can then select the right product and have the supporter tap their card, phone or watch in seconds.

Volunteers use Tap to Pay on their own iPhone or Android, so there is no terminal to rent, charge or hand back at the end of the night. When you have people selling at the door, at tables and near the stage at once, nobody has to walk back to a single payment desk every time someone wants a ticket. The phone in their pocket is already the hardware.

One tap can cover a raffle ticket, a donation, merchandise and a drink, with a single itemised receipt. A supporter at the bar might buy a ticket, add a donation and pay for a drink in one go. The receipt lists each item separately, which helps the supporter see what they paid for and keeps your reconciliation simple.

What do you need to set up before the event?

• Products: create the raffle ticket options, a donation option, and any merchandise or food you plan to sell. Put "Donation" in the donation product name so it is clear on the receipt.
• Phones: have each volunteer install the app and log in before the night. If the Tap to Pay screen comes up, the phone is ready to accept payments. Ask volunteers to end any phone or messaging calls before taking a payment.
• Script: brief volunteers on a few plain sentences covering what is being sold, what the receipt shows and where the money goes. Volunteers at a gala are often friends of the charity, not payments experts, so focus on the supporter conversation.
• Backup plan: decide who watches the live totals and who steps in if a phone battery runs flat. Another volunteer's phone or a QR code on the table can cover the gap.
• Permit conditions: read your raffle permit before the night so nobody sells outside the approved terms.

How do QR codes help at a gala or trivia night?

A printed QR code on a table sign, in the program or on a lanyard lets supporters buy or give without waiting for a volunteer. When the room is full and volunteers are stretched, a guest can scan, choose a raffle ticket or donation amount, and pay from their own phone.

QR codes work well for silent auction tables, bar queues and the speeches, when everyone is seated and volunteers are not moving through the room. Pebl QR codes are included with Pebl Collect, need no extra hardware, and land in the same live totals as tap payments, so you do not end up with QR sales in one place, tap sales in another and cash in a tin.

How do you keep track of ticket sales and donations in real time?

Coordinators see live totals by event and by collector, so you know how the room is tracking mid-evening. Instead of waiting until the end of the night to count cash and tally ticket stubs, a coordinator can open the dashboard and see what each volunteer has raised.

That lets you spot your strongest sellers and your quietest tables while there is still time to act. If a table has not sold anything, move a volunteer over or put a QR sign on it. A running raffle total announced from the stage can also lift the room. When the MC says the raffle has just passed a milestone, more people tend to buy, and the coordinator can read that figure straight from the dashboard.

How does Pebl help you sell raffle tickets and take donations on the night?

Pebl Collect is built for charities, not-for-profits, P&Cs and community groups running exactly this kind of event. Volunteers accept contactless card, phone and watch payments with Tap to Pay on their own iPhone or Android, so you can have as many payment points as you have volunteers.

One tap can cover a raffle ticket, donation, merchandise and food with a single itemised receipt. The donation is shown separately so it meets ATO requirements for a tax-deductible gift where your charity has DGR status, while the raffle ticket and other items are listed as purchases. Pebl for Teams lets multi-site charities run several events, branches or op shops and reconcile the whole appeal in one place.

Pebl has no setup or monthly fees, and card payments settle in 2 business days. Pebl does not run your prize draw or hold your raffle permit, so your committee keeps control of the regulatory side.

What permits and tax rules apply to an Australian charity raffle?

Raffles and lotteries need the right permit from your state or territory gaming regulator, and the rules differ by state. Check the requirements where the raffle is sold, including whether your permit or licence number must appear on tickets and promotional material.

Permit conditions can cover ticket price, prize disclosure, who can sell tickets, how the draw is conducted and record keeping, so read them before you print programs or set up ticket products.

Raffle tickets are generally not tax-deductible gifts. A supporter buying a ticket is entering a draw for a prize, not making a donation, so tell volunteers not to describe tickets as tax-deductible, and check the ATO's guidance if you are unsure. Any separate donation the supporter makes can be deductible where your charity has DGR status.

How do you reconcile the money after the event?

• Match the event total in your dashboard against your bank settlement, allowing 2 business days for card payments to arrive.
• Run a report for the event so the committee can see who raised what. It is useful for thanking volunteers and planning the next event.
• Count any cash, add it to the digital total, and check the combined figure. Tap payments and QR scans are already in one place.
• File the records your regulator requires while the event is still fresh, keeping your sales report, bank settlement and cash count together.

Frequently asked questions

Can supporters buy raffle tickets by card on the night?

Yes, with Tap to Pay on a volunteer's phone or a QR code printed on a table sign, program or lanyard.

Are raffle tickets tax-deductible?

Generally no. A raffle ticket is an entry into a prize draw, not a gift. Check the ATO's guidance and tell supporters plainly.

Do we need a permit to run a raffle?

In most cases, yes, through your state or territory gaming regulator, and the rules differ by state.

Can one tap cover a ticket, a donation and a drink?

Yes, with one itemised receipt that lists each item separately, with the donation shown on its own.

When does the money arrive?

Card payments settle in 2 business days, and Pebl Collect has no setup or monthly fees.

Key takeaways

• Volunteers can sell raffle tickets and take donations by card on their own phones with Tap to Pay, with no terminal or rental hardware.
• QR codes on table signs, programs and lanyards let supporters buy or give from their own phone, and land in the same live totals.
• One tap can cover a raffle ticket, donation, merchandise and food, with the donation shown separately on a single itemised receipt.
• Raffles need a permit from your state or territory gaming regulator, and raffle tickets are generally not tax-deductible.
• Pebl has no setup or monthly fees, card payments settle in 2 business days, and Pebl does not run prize draws or hold raffle permits.