A bill for an act relating to games of queen of hearts conducted by licensed qualified organizations, and making penalties applicable.
Senate File 2182 creates a specific statutory framework for the game of “queen of hearts” when conducted by a licensed qualified organization under Iowa’s charitable gaming laws. The bill defines queen of hearts as a multi-round raffle-style game in which participants buy into a raffle for a chance to select a concealed card from a standard 54-card deck, with the jackpot awarded if the designated winning card is chosen. It also allows non-jackpot cash prizes to be awarded to participants who do not select the winning card, and it permits the game to continue through successive raffles until the winning card is drawn.
The bill amends several provisions of chapter 99B to expressly include queen of hearts as a “game of chance,” to allow concealed cards and build-up or pyramid structures for that game, and to permit cash prizes in contexts that are otherwise restricted for other charitable gaming activities. It also authorizes a raffle that is part of queen of hearts to require the winner to be present, allows a participant to choose a card in advance if absent, and permits a chance to select a card as a prize. The Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing is directed to adopt rules to administer the new section, and violations are subject to existing penalties for unlawful gaming activity, including serious misdemeanor liability and possible licensing consequences.
The bill’s practical impact is to legalize and regulate a form of charitable gaming that appears to be popular but not clearly authorized under current law. It would expand the tools available to licensed qualified organizations by expressly permitting a progressive jackpot-style card game with cash payouts, while keeping the activity within the state’s charitable gaming licensing structure and prize cap of $10,000 per game. It also narrows uncertainty in the law by carving out queen of hearts from general prohibitions on build-up/pyramid games and concealed-number or conversion-chart practices.
The overall sentiment reflected in the available history is procedural and favorable: the subcommittee recommended amendment and passage, suggesting support for moving the bill forward. No recorded votes or committee transcript objections are provided, so there is no evidence in the supplied materials of organized opposition at this stage. The bill’s design suggests an effort to accommodate charitable organizations that want to conduct queen of hearts games while maintaining regulatory oversight.
The main points of potential contention are the bill’s relaxation of restrictions that normally apply to charitable gambling, especially the authorization of build-up or pyramid structures and cash prizes tied to a raffle/card-selection game. Those features may raise concerns about gambling expansion, game integrity, and whether the activity resembles a more traditional gambling product than a limited charitable raffle. Any debate is likely to center on balancing fundraising flexibility for licensed organizations against concerns about broader gambling policy and enforcement.
SF 2182 would amend Iowa Code chapter 99B to expressly authorize and regulate queen of hearts games conducted by licensed qualified organizations, including related raffles, cash prizes, concealed-card procedures, and build-up or pyramid structures. It adds a statutory definition of queen of hearts, includes it in the definition of a game of chance, creates a new section governing its operation, and directs the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing to adopt implementing rules. The bill also makes violations of the new provisions subject to existing criminal and licensing penalties applicable to unlawful charitable gaming.
The available legislative history shows generally favorable movement for the bill. The only recorded action is that a subcommittee recommended amendment and passage, which indicates support for advancing the measure. No votes or transcript excerpts are provided showing opposition, so the public record supplied here suggests the bill was treated as a technical regulatory expansion rather than a contested policy fight at this stage.
The likely areas of contention are the bill’s expansion of permissible charitable gaming practices and its treatment of queen of hearts as a special exception to existing restrictions. Critics could object to allowing cash prizes, build-up or pyramid structures, and concealed-card mechanics because those features may make the game resemble broader gambling activity. Supporters, by contrast, would likely emphasize that the bill confines the game to licensed qualified organizations, caps prizes at $10,000, and subjects the activity to administrative rules and penalties. The supplied materials do not identify named opponents or supporters, but the policy tension is between fundraising flexibility and gambling regulation.