Chapter
356
2005 -- S 0953 AS AMENDED
Enacted 07/19/05
A N A C T
RELATING TO GAMBLING AND LOTTERIES
Introduced By: Senators Doyle, Tassoni, Goodwin, and Issa
Date
Introduced: March 15, 2005
It is
enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION
1. Section 11-19-32 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-19 entitled
"Gambling
and
Lotteries" is hereby amended to read as follows:
11-19-32.
Operation of bingo games. -- Any charitable organization approved by
the
department
may promote, carry on, or conduct the game of bingo provided as follows:
(1) The game is conducted by members of the organization.
(2) No person in the actual or constructive management and control of the game
receives
any
compensation for services connected to the game or receives any compensation
from the
gross
receipts of the game.
(3) The entire net receipts of the game are applied solely to the charitable
purposes of the
organization.
All expenses deducted from gross receipts must be reasonable and related to the
actual
conduct of the game.
(4) The total amount of all expenses deducted from the gross receipts shall not
exceed
twenty-five
percent (25%) of the total annual gross receipts raised through bingo, not
including
monies
raised through the sale of pull-tab lottery tickets.
(5) The total prizes, in the form of cash and/or retail merchandise including
prizes from
winner-take-all
games, which are offered or awarded do not exceed the sum of six thousand
fifty
dollars
($6,050) seven thousand, five
hundred dollars ($7500) in any one night.
(6) The game is carried on or conducted not more than twice in any period of
one
calendar
week under a license issued pursuant to the provisions of section 11-19-37.
(7) That there be only one sponsor for each date of the proposed game and that
the game
shall be
conducted only on the premises affiliated with the organization in conformance
with
rules
and regulations.
(8) That any building in which a game is played or conducted shall be used no
more than
three
(3) times in any calendar week for conducting a game, and that no annex or
subdivision of
any
building shall be permitted to be used to conduct a game in an attempt to
increase the number
of times
the building may be used for bingo purposes.
(9) The organization shall keep and maintain financial records relating to the
game in
accordance
with rules and regulations and have the records available for inspection upon
demand.
(10) Payment of a prize in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) shall be
made by
check.
(11) "Winner-take-all" games are prohibited, with the exception that
each organization
shall be
permitted to play one optional "winner-take-all" game per night.
(12) No person under the age of eighteen (18) years shall be permitted to play
the game.
(13) Notwithstanding any regulation to the contrary, any approved charitable
organization
conducting a lawful game of bingo pursuant to the provisions of this section
shall be
permitted
to advertise their game in print media. As used in this chapter,
"advertise" means an
advertisement
or announcement in print media containing the date, time, and place of the
game,
the
charitable organization sponsoring and/or benefiting from the game, whether the
game shall
provide
for a bonus building/prize pool, and the total amount of the prize pool as set
forth in
subdivision
(14) of this section.
(14) The game may provide for a bonus building/prize pool which would start at
five
hundred
dollars ($500) and increase at one hundred dollar ($100) increments each week
until it
reaches
a maximum amount of one thousand dollars ($1000).
(15) Game workers may be compensated with a non-monetary gift, valued at not
more
than
twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per quarter and/or a total of one hundred dollars
($100) per
year.
Beverages and food provided without charge to volunteer workers at the game of
bingo
shall
not be considered to be compensation for purposes of the subsection.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC02795
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