A bill for an act relating to the conduct of calendar raffles by a licensed qualified organization.(See SF 2396.)
Summary
Senate File 2113 would change Iowa’s charitable gambling laws to allow licensed qualified organizations to conduct calendar raffles. Under current law, calendar raffles are prohibited, even though they are a form of single-entry raffle in which winners are drawn on multiple dates. The bill removes the specific statutory prohibition on calendar raffles in Chapter 99B, which governs social and charitable gambling.
In practical terms, the bill would create a new lawful raffle format for eligible nonprofit or charitable groups that hold the appropriate license. It does not appear to expand gambling generally, but rather to carve out an exception from the existing ban so that organizations can use calendar-style fundraising raffles as another fundraising tool.
Impact
The bill amends Iowa Code section 99B.24 by striking the language that expressly prohibits calendar raffles, while leaving the broader prohibition on build-up or pyramid raffles in place. It also strikes a related definitional provision in section 99B.1. The main legal effect is to permit licensed qualified organizations to conduct calendar raffles under Iowa’s social and charitable gambling framework, subject to whatever licensing and regulatory requirements already apply under Chapter 99B. The affected parties are charitable and nonprofit organizations that rely on raffles for fundraising, as well as the state agency or regulators overseeing charitable gambling compliance.
Sentiment
The available record suggests the bill was generally favorable and noncontroversial. There are no committee transcript snippets or recorded floor votes indicating opposition, and the bill advanced in committee and was renumbered as SF 2396. That procedural history suggests support for loosening a narrow restriction on charitable fundraising rather than a broader debate over gambling policy.
Contention
The central policy issue is whether calendar raffles should remain prohibited or be allowed as a fundraising mechanism for licensed charitable groups. Supporters would likely view the change as a modest expansion of fundraising options for nonprofits, while any concerns would likely focus on gambling oversight, consumer protection, and whether multiple-drawing raffles create administrative or compliance complications. The bill does not show evidence of major controversy in the available materials, and the remaining prohibition on build-up or pyramid raffles indicates the legislature was still drawing limits around more problematic gambling formats.
Allows for licensed organizations to conduct raffles remotely and to advertise such raffles; removes maximum value limitations for prizes; allows remote raffles on Sundays; requires quarterly reporting of raffle results.