AUSTIN – The Office of the Texas Attorney General recently found that a court would likely conclude current law does not prohibit nonprofits from raffling off alcohol as a prize.
In January, Audrey Louis, 81st Judicial District Attorney, requested an opinion on whether charitable organizations may conduct raffles that award alcoholic beverages.
On June 14, Attorney General Ken Paxton signed of an opinion giving the green light because the award of alcohol as a raffle prize by a nonprofit charitable organization is not prohibited by the Charitable Raffle Enabling Act and is not a sale or otherwise an activity regulated by the Alcoholic Beverage Code.
The question specifically wanted to know if a nonprofit charitable organization could conduct a raffle of bottles of alcohol donated by local liquor stores and board members.
Opinion No. KP-0153