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Terms Used In Maryland Code, CRIMINAL LAW 13-603

  • County: means a county of the State or Baltimore City. See
  • including: means includes or including by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. See
  • Person: includes an individual, receiver, trustee, guardian, personal representative, fiduciary, representative of any kind, corporation, partnership, business trust, statutory trust, limited liability company, firm, association, or other nongovernmental entity. See
(a) Before an organization listed in subsection (b) of this section may operate a gaming event or casino event, the organization shall obtain a permit from the Department of Permits and Development Management.

(b) (1) An organization that meets the conditions of paragraph (2) of this subsection may conduct a gaming event or casino event if the organization is a bona fide:

(i) religious organization;

(ii) fraternal organization;

(iii) civic organization, including:

1. a hunting organization;

2. a social organization; or

3. a sporting organization;

(iv) volunteer fire organization;

(v) veterans’ organization;

(vi) veterans’ hospital;

(vii) amateur athletic organization; or

(viii) charitable organization.

(2) An organization that conducts a gaming event or casino event under this section shall spend a majority of the net proceeds from the gaming event or casino event for the following in the county:

(i) purposes that benefit religious purposes;

(ii) fraternal purposes;

(iii) civic purposes;

(iv) volunteer fire operations;

(v) purposes that benefit veterans;

(vi) purposes that benefit a veterans’ hospital;

(vii) purposes related to amateur athletics; or

(viii) charitable purposes.

(c) (1) A permit to conduct a gaming event or casino event shall provide that only the members of the permit holder may manage the gaming event or casino event.

(2) A permit is not transferable.

(d) (1) An organization that obtains a permit may award a prize of money or merchandise using:

(i) a paddle wheel;

(ii) a wheel of fortune;

(iii) a chance book;

(iv) bingo; or

(v) any other gaming device except:

1. a card game;

2. a dice game; or

3. roulette.

(2) Except as provided in § 13-604 of this subtitle, a person may not:

(i) operate a card game, a dice game, or roulette; or

(ii) conduct a casino event.

(3) An organization that obtains a permit shall ensure that:

(i) an individual or group of individuals does not benefit financially from the holding of the gaming event;

(ii) an individual or group of individuals does not receive any of the proceeds of the gaming event for personal use or benefit; and

(iii) the gaming event is managed personally by the members of the permit holder.