Guide in English
How to run a raffle in Mexico
Updated 2026-09-29 by the Rifas MX team. Versión en español: Rifas MX.
Short answer
In Mexico a raffle is called a rifa. The usual way to run one online is: check whether your raffle needs a permit from SEGOB (it depends on the prize and how publicly you sell), set the prize and ticket price, publish a raffle page where buyers pick and reserve their numbers, collect payments by SPEI bank transfer or OXXO cash deposit, and pick the winner with the public result of the Lotería Nacional. Rifas MX is a Mexican platform built for exactly that: free for up to 1,000 tickets, no commission per ticket, and nothing to install.
Step by step
- 1
Check whether your raffle needs a SEGOB permit
The permit depends on the prize value, how publicly you sell and how often you run raffles. A large public raffle (a car, a motorcycle, thousands of tickets) generally needs authorization before you start selling; a small raffle among friends and family usually does not. Read our Spanish guides on when a permit is required and how the process works.
- 2
Pick the prize, ticket price and number of tickets
Work backwards from the prize cost: how many tickets you can realistically sell and at what price. Choose a ticket count that matches the digits of the Lotería Nacional draw you will use (for example 100 numbers for the last two digits, 1,000 for the last three).
- 3
Create your raffle page
With Rifas MX you sign up for free, add your prize photos, prices and payment accounts, and get your own page (yourname.rfs.mx) with every number shown live as available, reserved or sold.
- 4
Share the link and take reservations
Post the link on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram or TikTok. Buyers choose their numbers, reserve them and see your payment accounts. The reservation reaches you on WhatsApp.
- 5
Confirm payments
Buyers pay you directly by SPEI transfer or OXXO cash deposit and send their receipt. You confirm each payment in your panel, and the ticket shows as paid on your public ticket checker.
- 6
Draw the winner with the Lotería Nacional
On the draw date, the winning ticket is the one matching the official Lotería Nacional result. Buyers can verify it themselves against the official source.
Is it legal? The SEGOB permit
Raffles and sweepstakes in Mexico are regulated by the Ley Federal de Juegos y Sorteos and enforced by SEGOB's Dirección General de Juegos y Sorteos. For a public raffle with ticket sales, the organizer generally applies for authorization before selling, describing the prize, the mechanics, dates, and how the winner is determined, and guarantees the prize (typically with a bond, or fianza). Small private raffles among friends and relatives are treated differently.
Two things people often get wrong: the platform you use does not change whether you need a permit, and referencing the Lotería Nacional result does not exempt you either; it only makes the draw verifiable. More detail (in Spanish): when you need a SEGOB permit and is a raffle legal without a permit. This is general information, not legal advice.
Apps vs. raffle platforms in Mexico
App-store raffle apps work like a digital ticket book: you record on your own phone who took which number and whether they paid. That is fine for a small raffle you sell by hand. Once you sell to people you don't see in person, you want a public page where buyers choose their own numbers, see your payment details and can check their ticket, which is what web platforms do.
| What you need | Ticket-book app | Rifas MX |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers pick numbers from a link | Varies by app | Yes, live page |
| Install something | Yes, the organizer | No, runs in the browser |
| Payments in Mexico (SPEI, OXXO) | Tracked by hand | Your accounts on the page, receipts confirmed in the panel |
| Public ticket checker | Rarely | Yes |
| Winner | In-app random pick | Lotería Nacional result |
| Price | Free or in-app purchases | Free up to 1,000 tickets, MXN plans, 0% commission |
Full comparison of raffle apps and platforms available in Mexico (in Spanish): best raffle platforms in Mexico and raffle app vs. raffle website.
How the Lotería Nacional draw works
Instead of drawing a number themselves, organizers announce which Lotería Nacional draw they will use and how many digits count. With 100 tickets (00 to 99), the last two digits of the top prize decide the winner; with 1,000 tickets, the last three. Because the result is public, every buyer can verify it. Details and ticket-size tables (in Spanish): raffles with the Lotería Nacional.
FAQ
Do I need a permit to run a raffle in Mexico?
It depends on the raffle, not on the tool you use. Under the Ley Federal de Juegos y Sorteos, raffles with ticket sales fall under SEGOB's Dirección General de Juegos y Sorteos, which generally requires prior authorization, especially for high-value prizes, public or large-scale ticket sales, or recurring raffles. Small private raffles among people you know have more room. Using the Lotería Nacional result makes the draw transparent but does not exempt you from a permit if your raffle needs one. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
What is the best app to make a raffle in Mexico?
If you only want to track who bought which number on your own phone, a ticket-book app is enough. If you want buyers to pick and reserve their numbers from a link, pay you by SPEI transfer or OXXO deposit, and check their ticket publicly, use a Mexico-focused web platform such as Rifas MX. It runs in the phone's browser (Android or iPhone, nothing to install), has a free plan for up to 1,000 tickets, and charges no commission per ticket.
How do people pay for raffle tickets in Mexico?
Mostly by bank transfer (SPEI) or cash deposits at OXXO convenience stores into the organizer's account or card. The buyer sends a photo of the receipt and the organizer confirms the payment. On Rifas MX buyers pay the organizer directly; the platform never holds the money.
How is the winner chosen?
Most online raffles in Mexico use the public result of a Lotería Nacional draw: the last 2, 3, 4 or 5 digits of the winning number decide which ticket wins. Anyone can check the official result, so nobody has to trust a random number generator run by the organizer.
How much does Rifas MX cost?
There is a free plan (up to 1,000 tickets) and paid plans from $499 MXN per month. No plan takes a commission per ticket sold.
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