Sweeps and calcuttas
Essential information about running a sweep or culcutta in NSW.
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About sweeps
A sweep is an activity in which players purchase a ticket for a chance to win a randomly drawn participant, such as a horse or sports team, in an event. After the event, the prize pool is distributed to players who hold tickets for winning participants.
About calcuttas
A calcutta is the same as a sweep except at the completion of the draw there is a an auction in which all ticket purchasers can bid for each participant. Players who were successful in the draw may choose between selling the participant and receiving half of the proceeds of the sale or retaining the participant by making (and paying half of) the highest bid.
Who can conduct a sweep or calcutta?
Anyone can conduct a sweep or calcutta for social entertainment or to raise funds for, or on behalf of, an approved fundraising organisation.
Approved fundraising organisations
The following are approved fundraising organisations:
charitable or non-profit organisations
political parties or trade unions
registered clubs
a club registered under the Rules of Racing of Racing New South Wales
a greyhound racing club within the meaning of the Greyhound Racing Act 2017
a harness racing club within the meaning of the Harness Racing Act 2009.
You must have written authorisation from the organisation to conduct the sweep or calcutta.
Who can play?
Anyone can enter a sweep or calcutta unless they are:
conducting the gaming activity including determining who wins a prize
involved in the management of any benefiting organisation
Children can participate unless the rules of the sweep or calcutta have an age limit.
Entry requirements
There is no fee or benefit involved, other than the stake money for the activity.
Fees may be charged to enter the venue. For example, at a racecourse.
Is an authority required?
An authority is required if the total value of all the prizes is more than $30,000.
If you are unsure about whether your sweep or calcutta requires an authority, you can use the community gaming check tool. It's quick and easy.
Apply for an authority
An authority can be issued for a selected period of 1, 3 or 5 years allowing multiple promotions to be run under a single authority.
The application fee depends on the duration of the authority.
| Durations | Fixed fee | Processing fee | Total fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | $124 | $371 | $495 |
| 3 years | $371 | $371 | $742 |
| 5 years | $619 | $371 | $990 |
To apply for an authority to conduct a sweep or calcutta, simply download and complete the application form and submit it to CElottery@customerservice.nsw.gov.au.
Conditions
The above fees include a $371 non-refundable processing fee. If you cancel your authority, this fee will not be refunded.
Fees are for July 2024 - June 2025.
Notification of commencement of gaming activity
If your gaming activity requires an authority, you must provide a copy of the gaming rules to NSW Fair Trading. This must be at least 10 working days before the proposed sweep or calcutta takes place.
Gaming activities cannot commence until notification is given to NSW Fair Trading. You can do this by filling out and submitting a commencement of gaming activity notification form to CElottery@customerservice.nsw.gov.au.
Prizes
Prizes may consist of anything except a prohibited prize.
Prohibited prizes
The following prizes are prohibited:
a firearm, ammunition, an imitation firearm or other prohibited weapons as defined by the Weapons Prohibition Act 1998
tobacco, smoking or vaping products
cosmetic surgery and other procedures falling under Division 1A of Part 3 of the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966
more than 20 litres of liquor where the alcohol is 20% or less by volume or more than 5 litres of liquor where the alcohol content is more than 20% by volume
any other prize that contravenes any other law of this State or the Commonwealth. For example, Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 (NSW) and Gaming Machines Act 2001 (NSW)
Unclaimed prizes
The gaming activity rules should specify how to deal with an unclaimed prize.
If a prize isn’t claimed within a set period of time, it can be forfeited, and another draw held to determine a new winner. Otherwise, the prize must be kept until awarded to the winner.
Every reasonable effort must be taken to contact the prize winner. If contact cannot be made, the operator must keep the prize for the duration stated in the rules.
If the rules do not have a time frame for an activity that requires authorization, the operator must keep the prize for at least 3 months. After this time a new winner may be chosen.
Perishable prizes, such as a meat tray, can be disposed of or sold for a reasonable price. The money (after sale or disposal costs) must be held in trust for the winner.
Tickets
There is are no restrictions on who can sell tickets in a sweep or calcutta.
Anyone who sells tickets must return all ticket butts, unsold tickets and the gross proceeds of ticket sales to the operator before the draw takes place.
Ticketing errors
A player's right to a prize is not affected due to an error in the production of tickets or cards.
Changes to the sweep or calcutta
As the operator, you can change how the sweep or calcutta is conducted as long as the change mean the gaming activity is still conducted fairly and impartially.
You must notify players of the change or make the information publicly available within a reasonable time before the activity takes place.
Changes may include:
prizes or prize value
the date or method prize winners are determined
the authority holder
a significant change in the number of tickets
Any substantial change must be reported to NSW Fair Trading, you can do this by filling out a Changes to Gaming Activity notification form. Simply download and fill out the form, then email it to CElottery@customerservice.nsw.gov.au.
Advertising
You must clearly advertise the rules of the sweep or calcutta. This will enable potential participants make an informed decisions about entering.
If you cannot publish the rules in an advertisement or on a ticket, you must state where the rules can be found, such as a website.
Advertising material must not:
depict children participating in the gaming activity
suggest that winning will be a definite outcome of participating in the gaming activity
suggest that participating in the gaming activity will definitely improve a person’s financial prospects
encourage a breach of the law
If you need an authority for your gaming activity, all advertising material must clearly display the authority number
Administration
Where applicable, the following requirements apply to gaming activities.
Unless participation is free, you may incur reasonable expenses for:
the cost of producing or obtaining the tickets or cards
advertising and promotion
hiring or operating a device, or premises
the cost of prizes, and prize money
salaries, wages and commission paid to persons assisting in the conduct of the gaming activity
auditing accounts relating to the gaming activity
other amounts that, under an authority, a person or organisation is permitted to deduct from money received in connection with the gaming activity.
Anyone who conducts a sweep or calcutta cannot receive payment. This includes a salary, wage, fee, commission, percentage or other benefit.
If a sweep or calcutta is conducted for, or on behalf of, an approved fund raising organisation then a reasonable amount of the gross proceeds must be paid to the organisation.
The amount to be paid should be agreed in writing before the sweep or calcutta is conducted.
If a sweep or calcutta is conducted for social entertainment purposes all proceeds must be paid to players holding the successful participants in the event linked to the sweep or calcutta.
There is no requirement to keep records when conducting a sweep or calcutta.
However, it’s recommended records be maintained as this will help properly manage the games.
If the annual gross proceeds of the sweep or calcutta exceeds $250,000, accounts must be audited by a qualified auditor. This includes accounts that relate to receipts and expenses.
NSW Fair Trading Community gaming
Have a question about a community gaming activity?
You can contact NSW Fair Trading.