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
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