Removes restrictions on the frequency certain authorized organizations may conduct bingo games.
Summary
A03681 would amend New York’s General Municipal Law to loosen the limits on how often certain authorized organizations may conduct bingo games. Under current law, qualifying bingo games for residents in apartment, condominium, cooperative, retirement, or other group residential settings, and for bona fide social, charitable, educational, recreational, fraternal, religious, not-for-profit, or age-group organizations, are generally limited to one day per week and 30 times per year. The bill increases those limits to two days per week and 60 times per year for both categories.
The bill does not change the existing safeguards governing bingo. The games must still be for amusement and recreation only, players cannot pay for the chance to participate, prize values remain capped at $10 per game and $150 per day, and only specified volunteers, employees, or bona fide members may conduct the games. The measure takes effect 90 days after becoming law.
Impact
This bill would directly amend section 495-a of the General Municipal Law, expanding the frequency with which certain nonprofit, social, charitable, religious, and residential-community bingo games may be held in New York. It would affect operators of retirement communities and similar residential complexes, as well as qualifying organizations and clubs that use bingo as a fundraising or recreational activity, by allowing more events each year while keeping prize and participation restrictions in place.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad support for the bill. It was reported favorably out of the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee by a 10-0 vote and then passed the Assembly floor unanimously, 143-0. With no recorded opposition in the provided materials and no committee transcript excerpts, the overall sentiment appears strongly favorable and noncontroversial.
Contention
No specific points of contention are reflected in the provided transcripts or votes. The main policy issue implied by the bill is whether to relax bingo frequency limits for authorized organizations and residential communities, but the unanimous committee and floor votes indicate little visible disagreement. Any concerns would likely center on gambling regulation, oversight, or the balance between recreational fundraising and existing limits, though none are documented here.
Eases certain restrictions on the conducting of games of chance for charitable purposes; authorizes auxiliary members of authorized organizations to operate games of chance; authorizes conducting of games of chance on Sundays; expands advertising of games of chance; eases certain restrictions on the conducting of bingo games for charitable purposes; expands the frequency upon which bingo games may be held; authorizes auxiliary members of authorized organizations to conduct bingo games; authorizes the conducting of bingo games on Sundays; expands advertising of bingo games.
Eases certain restrictions on the conducting of games of chance for charitable purposes; authorizes the payment, out of the net proceeds of games of chance, of reimbursement for reasonable expenses of volunteers working at the games; expands the frequency upon which games of chance may be held; authorizes auxiliary members of authorized organizations to operate games of chance; authorizes persons convicted of crimes to operate games of chance when participating in a rehabilitation program; authorizes conducting of games of chance on Sundays; expands advertising of games of chance.