Virginia Law

A. Organizations subject to this chapter shall post their charitable gaming permit or authorization to operate and conduct electronic gaming at all times on the premises where charitable gaming is conducted.

B. No individual shall provide any information or engage in any conduct that alters or is intended to alter the outcome of any charitable game or electronic game.

C. Individuals younger than 18 years of age may play bingo provided such persons are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. It shall be the responsibility of the organization to ensure that such individuals are eligible to play. An organization's house rules may further limit the play of bingo or purchase of raffle tickets by minors.

D. Individuals younger than 18 years of age may sell raffle tickets for a qualified organization raising funds for activities in which they are active participants.

E. No individual younger than 18 years of age may participate in the management or operation of bingo games. Individuals 14 through 17 years of age may participate in the conduct of a bingo game provided the organization permitted for charitable gaming obtains and keeps on file written parental consent from the parent or legal guardian and verifies the date of birth of the minor. An organization's house rules may further limit the involvement of minors in the conduct of bingo games. No individual younger than 21 years of age may participate in the management, operation, or conduct of electronic gaming.

F. No qualified organization shall sell any network bingo cards, paper instant bingo, paper pull-tab, or paper seal card to any individual younger than 18 years of age. No individual younger than 18 years of age shall play or redeem any network bingo cards, paper instant bingo, paper pull-tab, or paper seal card. No individual younger than 21 years of age shall play any electronic gaming device or electronic game or redeem anything from the play of such a device or game.

G. Unless otherwise prohibited by the Code of Virginia or this chapter, nonmembers who are under the direct supervision of a bona fide member may participate in the conduct of bingo or electronic gaming.

H. All game workers shall have in their possession a photo identification, such as a driver's license or other government-issued identification, and shall make the photo identification available for inspection upon request by a department agent while participating in the management, operation, or conduct of a bingo game or electronic gaming.

I. A game manager who is a bona fide member of the organization and is designated by the organization's management as the person responsible for the operation of the bingo game during a particular session shall be present any time a bingo game is conducted.

J. A game manager who is a bona fide member of the qualified organization and is designated by the organization's management as a person responsible for the operation of the electronic games shall be present at the facility where the electronic gaming occurs any time electronic gaming is available to the public. For electronic gaming conducted by the social organization for its members only, the game manager or responsible representative must be available by telephone at all times and must be physically present at the facility within 30 minutes of a request by the department. Failure to provide the department access to the facility may result in the revocation or suspension of the organization's electronic gaming authorization.

K. Organizations shall ensure that all charitable gaming equipment, a distributed pull-tab system, and any electronic gaming device are in working order before charitable gaming activities commence.

L. Each electronic gaming device must have a device tag affixed indicating that such device is authorized and approved by the department. All organizations shall notify the department of any new distributed pull-tab system or electronic gaming devices they purchase or lease.

M. Any organization selling bingo, paper instant bingo, paper pull-tabs, paper seal cards, or network bingo supplies or conducting electronic gaming shall:

1. Maintain a supplier's, network bingo provider's, or manufacturer's invoice or a legible copy thereof at the location where the gaming is taking place and cards are sold. The original invoice or legible copy shall be stored in the same storage space as the gaming supplies. All gaming supplies shall be stored in a secure area that has access limited only to bona fide members of the organization;

2. Pay for all charitable gaming supplies except electronic gaming supplies, only by a check drawn on the charitable gaming account of the organization ; and

3. Pay for all electronic gaming supplies, including the use of the electronic gaming device, by check or electronic fund transfer drawn from the charitable gaming account of the organization. Any electronic fund transfer shall be agreed to in writing between the qualified or social organization and the licensed manufacturer or supplier.

A complete inventory of all charitable gaming supplies shall be maintained by the organization on the premises where the gaming is being conducted.

N. A bingo session game worker may receive complimentary food and nonalcoholic beverages provided on premises, as long as the retail value of such food and beverages does not exceed $15 for each session.

O. Permitted organizations shall not commingle records, supplies, or funds from permitted activities with those from paper instant bingo, paper pull-tabs, paper seal cards, or electronic gaming sold in social quarters.

P. Individuals who are not members of an organization or are members who do not participate in any charitable gaming activities may be paid reasonable fees for preparation of quarterly and annual financial reports.

Q. Except as allowed pursuant to § 18.2-340.34:1 of the Code of Virginia, no free packs, free electronic bingo devices, free electronic pull-tabs, free network bingo cards, discounts, or remuneration in any other form shall be provided directly or indirectly to game workers, members of their family, or individuals residing in their household. The reduction of tuition, dues, or any fees or payments due as a result of a member or shareholder or anyone in their household working bingo games, electronic gaming, or raffles is prohibited.

R. Individuals providing security for an organization's charitable gaming activity shall not participate in the charitable gaming activity and shall not be compensated with charitable gaming supplies, free electronic pull-tabs, or network bingo cards or with rentals of electronic bingo devices or electronic gaming devices.

S. No organization shall award any prize money or any merchandise valued in excess of the amounts specified by the Code of Virginia.

T. Multiple sessions shall be permitted in a single premises as long as the sessions are distinct from one another and are not used to advertise or do not result in the awarding of more in prizes than is permitted for a single qualified organization. All leases for organizations to conduct charitable gaming or electronic gaming in a single premises shall ensure each session is separated by an interval of at least 30 minutes. Bingo sales for the subsequent session may take place during the 30-minute break once the building is cleared of all patrons and workers from the previous session. No other sales of charitable gaming supplies or electronic gaming may occur during the 30-minute break.

U. All bingo and instant bingo, pull-tabs, seal card, or electronic gaming sales, play, and redemption must occur within the time specified on the charitable gaming permit or authorization to operate and conduct electronic gaming. Network bingo card sales must occur within the time specified on the charitable gaming permit.

V. Paper instant bingo, paper pull-tabs, or paper seal cards shall only be sold in conjunction with a bingo session, except as authorized by § 18.2-340.26:1, 18.2-340.26:2, or 18.2-340.26:3 of the Code of Virginia. No paper instant bingo, paper pull-tab, or paper seal card sales shall take place more than two hours before the selection of the first ball for the first bingo game or more than two hours after the selection of the last ball for the last bingo game. If multiple sessions are held at the same location for either bingo or electronic gaming, no paper instant bingo, paper pull-tab, paper seal card, or electronic pull-tab sales shall be conducted during the required 30-minute break between sessions. The department may take action if it believes that a bingo session is not legitimate or is being conducted in a manner such that paper instant bingo, paper pull-tabs, or paper seal cards are not being sold in conjunction with a bingo session.

W. Only a game worker for a qualified organization may rent, exchange, or otherwise provide electronic bingo devices or electronic gaming devices to players.

X. A qualified organization shall conduct only bingo games, network bingo, and raffles listed on a game program for that session. The program shall list all prize amounts. If the prize amounts are determined by attendance or at the end of a game, the game program shall list the attendance required for the prize amount or disclose that prizes shall be determined at the end of a game and the method for determining the prize amount. In such a case, the organization shall announce the prize amount at the end of the game. The percentage of the gross receipts from network bingo cards allocated to the prize pool shall be listed on the game program along with the maximum allowable prize amount for network bingo.

Y. A qualified organization selling paper instant bingo, paper pull-tabs, or paper seal cards or conducting electronic gaming shall post a flare provided by the manufacturer at the location where such cards or electronic pull-tabs are sold. All such sales and prize payouts shall be in accordance with the flare for that deal.

Z. Only qualified organizations, facilities in which qualified organizations play bingo, network bingo providers, and suppliers permitted by the department shall advertise a bingo game. Providing players with information about network bingo or bingo games through printed advertising is permitted, provided the name of the qualified organization shall be in a type size equal to or larger than the name of the premises, the hall, or the word "bingo." Printed advertisements shall identify the use of proceeds percentage reported in the past quarter or fiscal year.

AA. Advertisements for electronic gaming are prohibited.

BB. Raffles that award prizes based on a percentage of gross receipts shall use prenumbered tickets.

CC. The following rules shall apply to mechanical dispensing devices used to dispense paper instant bingo, paper pull-tabs, or paper seal cards:

1. A mechanical dispensing device shall only be used at a location and time during which a qualified organization holds a permit to conduct charitable gaming. Only instant bingo, paper pull-tab, or paper seal cards purchased by an organization to be used during the organization's charitable gaming activity shall be in the mechanical dispensing device.

2. Keys to the dispensing area and coin box or cash box shall be in the possession and control of the game manager or designee of the organization's board of directors at all times. Keys shall at all times be available at the location where the mechanical dispensing device is being used.

3. The game manager or designee shall provide access to the mechanical dispensing device to the department, its employees, or its agents for inspection upon request.

4. Only a game worker of an organization may stock the mechanical dispensing device, remove cash, or pay winners' prizes.

DD. Organizations shall only acquire, lease, obtain, purchase, rent, or use charitable gaming supplies from a supplier; network bingo supplies from a network bingo provider; distributed pull-tab system or electronic gaming devices from a manufacturer or supplier who has a current permit issued by the department pursuant to § 18.2-340.34 of the Code of Virginia.

EE. An organization shall not tamper with bingo paper or any other charitable gaming supplies received from a supplier or distributed pull-tab system or electronic gaming devices received from a manufacturer or supplier.

FF. The total amount of all discounts given by any organization for bingo games during any fiscal year shall not exceed 1.0% of the organization's gross receipts.

GG. A social organization may place the same electronic gaming device in its social quarters that it places in the public space in its primary location when operating and conducting electronic gaming. A social organization shall notify the department and manufacturer prior to moving the device between its social quarters and the public space in its primary location and shall only move the device after the manufacturer ensures its system accurately reflects the qualified organization to which the electronic gaming sales must be attributed. The social organization shall ensure no cash is located in the device's bill acceptor prior to moving the device between its social quarters and the public space in its primary location.