Hey Guys! Glad to be here, first time poster!

A friend and I are wanting to get our FFL's and do online sales. Mostly in our state of Utah, however I am trying to find legalities of firearm raffles and I cant find anything on the ATF website. They just say that if you are doing a raffle for a non licensed business how to transfer the firearms. At the bottom it has a disclaimer as follows, "Please note, if the organization’s practice of raffling firearms rises to the level of being engaged in the business of dealing in firearms, the organization must get its own Federal firearms license." So the last part talks about the "level of raffling becoming engaged in the business...the organization must get its own FFL". Does this mean that it is legal to constantly raffle firearms as a business?

Thanks for the help!

Sure, why wouldn't it be?

You can also constantly sell/buy/auction firearms, or never sell a single firearm.

As far as ATF is concerned, a FFL can raffle off as many (or as few) firearms as they want, as long as the actual transfer follows the normal rules (4473, NICS check or exemption, etc.).  States may have their own rules on raffles in general, or (less likely, I'd think) raffles of firearms in particular.

ATF never gets involved in the financial aspects of a firearms transfer. They just want the paperwork correct and the rules followed.

Ok so I'm safe on the ATF side but the legality of "Games of Chance" is where I think I might run into some problems, gambling laws etc but that will most likely be state level affairs. Thanks for the help guys!

For-profit businesses are prohibited from benefiting from raffles in all 50 states.

What the ATF is getting at, is they don't want some 501c3 volunteer fire company raffling off thousands of guns a year as their primary method of raising money without holding an FFL.

All great input and info guys. Thanks a ton. What if I sold a box of ammo and each box of ammo got a seat into a drawing?

Ask an attorney in your state, this is outside the realm of gun laws.

Raffles are usually a means for non profit entities to raise funds.
Does not matter the prizes.  Trips, guns, TV's, etc you get the idea.

In some states raffles require a permit with specifics laid out.  I.E. first prize, second prize, etc.  The sponsoring organization and the people that will benefit from the proceeds above the costs. etc..

Your best advise has been rendered.  Talk to a local attorney.

Utah laws on Gambling


I don't suppose you and your buddy have a business plan?




It took me thirty seconds to Google "Utah laws on Gambling". If you can't figure out how to do that being an FFL may be a money losing proposition.
Stop with the raffles, drawings and silly nonsense and put together a real business plan.