(a) (1) Subject to division (a)(2) below, a charitable organization, a public school, a chartered nonpublic school, a community school, or a veteran’s organization, fraternal organization or sporting organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under IRC § 501(a) and is described in IRC § 501(c)(3), (c)(4), (c)(7), (c)(8), (c)(10) or (c)(19) may conduct a raffle to raise money for the organization or school and does not need a license to conduct bingo in order to conduct a raffle drawing that is not for profit.
(2) If a charitable organization that is described in division (a)(1) above, but that is not also described in IRC 501(c)(3), conducts a raffle, the charitable organization shall distribute at least 50% of the net profit from the raffle to a charitable purpose described in R.C. § 2915.01(V) or to a department or agency of the federal government, the state or any political subdivision.
(b) A chamber of commerce may conduct not more than one raffle per year to raise money for the chamber of commerce.
(c) Except as provided in divisions (a) or (b) above, no person shall conduct a raffle drawing that is for profit or a raffle drawing that is not for profit.
(d) Whoever violates division (c) above is guilty of illegal conduct of a raffle. Except as otherwise provided in this division, illegal conduct of a raffle is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of a violation of division (c) above, illegal conduct of a raffle is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law.
(R.C. § 2915.092)