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State Gaming Issues

Local Option Small Games of Chance Act

[Act of December 19, 1988 (P.L.1262, No.156)]

The Law [10 P.S.§§311-327 (1988)]

The Regulations [61 Pa.Code §901.1 et seq.]

Primer from the PA Dept of Revenue © 2001

6/4/10 Small Games of Chance; Expanding Small Games Rights. The House Gaming Oversight Committee has held a public meeting regarding House Bill 2379 which would increase daily prize limits from $500 to $1,000 and weekly prize limits from $5,000 to $20,000. The bill would also give licensed liquor establishments the ability to conduct small games of chance with the requirement that they donate 20 percent of their weekly small games revenue to a charitable organization while another 30 percent will go to the state in a pension stabilization reserve fund. Presently, nonprofits will remain untaxed on small games revenue but those who oppose the bill fear that if the state becomes dependent on revenue brought in through small games at liquor establishments, nonprofit small games taxation will follow.

4/21/09 State Small Games of Chance Bills Moving Forward. Both the Pennsylvania House and Senate have placed small games of chance bills on their calendar for this week. A final vote on HB 169 is expected by Wednesday April 22, in the House. Small games of chance represents a legitimate and for some nonprofits a significant source of revenue that they use to support their charitable or civic mission.

4/1/09 State Small Games of Chance Bills Moving Forward. Both the Pennsylvania House and Senate have placed small games of chance bills on their calendar for April 20. Small games of chance represent a legitimate and (for some nonprofits) a significant source of revenue that they use to support their charitable or civic mission.

HB169 would expand the number of games permissible, and raise payout limits (http://capwiz.com/pano/issues/bills/?bill=12951576).  SB211 would increase the payout for small games of chance from $500 to $1,000 for any one game and raise the maximum weekly prize limit to $20,000 from $5,000 (http://capwiz.com/pano/issues/bills/?bill=13054091).

Changes to the state’s Bingo Law are also on the calendar. SB212 would change the licensing rules for associations that use bingo for fundraising and provides that no more than $8,000 (up from $4,000) can be awarded on any one day and authorizes multiple associations to lease the same building for conducting bingo. http://capwiz.com/pano/issues/bills/?bill=13054121

7/3/07 House Passes Charitable Gaming Bill. The small games bill which was passed on June 30, allows for organizations to increase daily and weekly prize limits, allows for a larger monthly prizes, and allows organizations to run daily and weekly small games of chance simultaneously.

HB169 would raise daily prize limits from $500 to $1,000 and weekly prize limits from $5,000 to $20,000. It also would allow volunteer and community organizations to offer a monthly prize of up to $50,000. The types of organizations that would be affected include volunteer fire companies, veterans' organizations, religious groups and civic and service clubs.

State Rep. Solobay sponsored HB 169 to expand small games of chance so charities and civic groups can raise funds for their community service. The current small games act which was passed in 1988 prevents nonprofit organizations from conducting multiple games at a time. For more information go to http://www.politicspa.com/pressreleasedetailed.asp?id=12431.

6/19/07 PA House Amends Charitable Bingo Bill – Prize Limits Removed. HB556 the Charitable Bingo bill was amended yesterday to remove prize limit restrictions and remove the mandatory educational component. Under this new bill, the number of days that an association can conduct Bingo under the $15 license is increased from three days to seven days within one period per year. This amended bill removes all provisions relating to prize limits for bingo games, and removes language that would have required an association to record for the association’s records, all prizes awarded over $350.

6/13/07 House to Take-up Charitable Gaming Bills. HB169 would expand the Local Option Small Games of Chance Act by allowing eligible nonprofit organizations to use some of the proceeds from the games for operating expenses, and it would remove old restriction prohibiting two different drawings from being held at the same time. The Pennsylvania Local Option Small Games of Chance Act was passed in 1988 to allow certain nonprofit organizations to conduct small games of chance to raise funds for public interest purposes. The act currently prohibits organizations from running more than one type of game at a time. It also prohibits organizations from using the proceeds for routine operating expenses. Small games of chance include punchboards, pull-tabs, raffles, daily drawings and weekly drawings. Organizations like volunteer fire companies, veterans’ organizations, and religious groups rely on these games to raise money for community projects. By expanding the Local Option Small Games of Chance Act Pennsylvania would help civic organizations raise money for community projects. Other bills under the Bingo law currently being considered by the legislature include HB706 defining a "bona fide member," HB556 setting fees for licensing and operation, and most recently SB978.

5/31/07 House Gaming Oversight Committee to meet on Wednesday June 6 at 10:00 am, EW-39, PA Capitol, Harrisburg. The Committee will meet to consider HB169 (PN195) to define what games are permitted and setting prize limits under the Local Option Small Games of Chance Act; HB706 (PN791) further defining a "bona fide member" under the Bingo law; and HB556 (PN624) providing for rules for licensing and operation also under the Bingo law. For Committee Meeting Notices go to http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/CO/HM/COHM.HTM

HB169   http://capwiz.com/pano/issues/bills/?bill=9827716
HB706   http://capwiz.com/pano/issues/bills/?bill=9827816
HB556   http://capwiz.com/pano/issues/bills/?bill=9827961

Click here for our index of legislative issues.

PANO's Legislative Action Center: This page includes links to legislation PANO is tracking, information on elected officials, government agencies, media contacts, voter registration and more.


None of the information on the PANO Website should be deemed legal advice or should be acted upon without prior consultation with appropriate professional advisors.

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