AN ACT to amend and reenact section 53-06.1-11.2 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the charitable gaming operating fund.
SB 2205 amends North Dakota’s charitable gaming operating fund statute. The bill changes how money in the fund is allocated: it keeps the existing structure of using the fund for charitable gaming administrative and operating costs, but revises the distribution to the gambling disorder prevention and treatment fund and to cities and counties that host licensed charitable gaming sites. It also updates the timing and method for transferring excess fund balances to the state general fund.
Under the bill, the attorney general continues to oversee quarterly allocations from the charitable gaming operating fund, but the amount directed to the gambling disorder prevention and treatment fund is increased to $75,000. The bill also preserves a five percent distribution to cities and counties, subject to legislative appropriations, based on taxes collected from licensed organizations, with a minimum quarterly payment threshold of $200. Finally, it clarifies that any balance of net proceeds exceeding the amount needed for charitable gaming administrative and operating costs for the next biennium must be transferred to the general fund before the end of each biennium.
SB 2205 amends section 53-06.1-11.2 of the North Dakota Century Code, affecting the statutory framework for the charitable gaming operating fund. It changes the allocation formula for gaming-related revenues, increases the earmark for gambling disorder prevention and treatment, preserves local government distributions tied to gaming activity, and directs excess funds to the general fund. The bill primarily affects the attorney general, state treasurer, cities and counties receiving gaming-related revenue, and entities supported by the gambling disorder prevention and treatment fund.
The bill appears to have broad legislative support, passing the Senate unanimously and the House with a clear majority. The vote totals suggest general agreement with the fund allocation changes and the transfer of excess proceeds to the general fund. There is no committee transcript available, so the record does not show detailed debate or public testimony, but the voting pattern indicates the measure was generally viewed favorably.
The main potential points of contention are the distribution of charitable gaming revenues and the balance between state, local, and treatment-related uses of the fund. Increasing the amount directed to the gambling disorder prevention and treatment fund may be supported by public health advocates, while cities, counties, or charitable gaming stakeholders could be attentive to how much revenue remains available for local distributions and administrative costs. The bill’s requirement that excess funds be transferred to the general fund may also raise concerns among those who prefer gaming revenues remain dedicated to gaming-related purposes.