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Status and scope

• Bill S-241 was introduced in the Senate on November 20, 2025, and is at second reading. It would amend the Criminal Code and the Indian Act.
• It would affect First Nations governing bodies, provinces, lottery operators and participants, including charities, religious organizations, fairs and exhibitions.

Criminal Code

• The bill would recognize a First Nation governing body’s authority to conduct and manage lottery schemes from or within its reserve, and to license specified others to do so. A governing body could also act jointly with another First Nation or specified persons or authorities.
• Before exercising that authority, the governing body would have to give written notice to Canada and each province in which the reserve is located, stating the date it will begin exercising the authority. For section 207, the reserve would be deemed not to be part of the province from that date; the bill’s summary describes the First Nation’s authority as exclusive.
• The bill would allow First Nation licensing of lotteries run by charities and religious organizations, designated fairs and exhibitions, and other persons at public places of amusement. For the latter, each prize could not exceed $500, and each chance could not cost more than $2.
• It would permit agreements between provinces and First Nations, or between First Nations, for the sale of lottery tickets across their jurisdictions. It would also permit licensed operation across jurisdictions, subject to consent from the authority that first authorized the scheme.
• First Nation-issued licences could contain terms and conditions governing the lottery and participation. The existing exception allowing computers to be used for ticket sales, winner selection or prize distribution in qualifying charitable or religious raffles would extend to raffles licensed by First Nations.
• For these provisions, “First Nation” would include an Indian Act band and an Indigenous group party to a self-government agreement implemented by an Act of Parliament. “Reserve” would also include land subject to such an agreement.

Indian Act

• Band councils would gain explicit authority to make by-laws regulating the operation, conduct and management of lottery schemes permitted from or within their reserves under section 207 of the Criminal Code.