1.    Except as authorized by the attorney general, an organization that has its license suspended or revoked, or has relinquished or not renewed its license and not disbursed its net proceeds, is ineligible for a license or permit. Only one of two or more closely related organizations may have a license or permit at one time. A college or university fraternity, sorority, or club is not closely related to an educational organization. An organization shall apply for a permit as follows:

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Terms Used In North Dakota Code 53-06.1-03

  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Individual: means a human being. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • Organization: includes a foreign or domestic association, business trust, corporation, enterprise, estate, joint venture, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, limited partnership, partnership, trust, or any legal or commercial entity. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • Person: means an individual, organization, government, political subdivision, or government agency or instrumentality. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • year: means twelve consecutive months. See North Dakota Code 1-01-33

a.    An organization recognized as a public-spirited organization by the governing body of a city or county may apply for permits. A local permit may allow the organization to conduct only raffles, bingo, or sports pools. A restricted event permit may allow the organization to conduct only raffles, bingo, sports pools, paddlewheels, twenty-one, and poker. The organization or closely related organizations as a whole may only award a primary prize that does not exceed eight thousand dollars and total prizes of all games do not exceed forty thousand dollars per year. These maximum prize amounts do not apply to raffles conducted under chapter 20.1-08. The determination of what is a “public-spirited organization” is within the sole discretion of the governing body. An organization shall disclose on the application its intended use of the net income from the     gaming activity. A governing body may issue a permit for games to be held at designated times and places.

b.    An organization shall apply to the governing body of the city or county in which the proposed site is located. Application must be made on a form prescribed by the attorney general. Approval may be granted at the discretion of the governing body. A governing body may establish a fee not to exceed twenty-five dollars for each permit. A permit must be on a fiscal year basis from July first to June thirtieth or on a calendar-year basis.

c.    An organization that has a local permit or a restricted event permit may use the net income from the gaming activity for any purpose that does not violate this chapter or gaming rules, unless the organization is a state political party or legislative district party committee, the organization may use the net income from a raffle for a political purpose. For purposes of this subdivision, a public-spirited use includes a political purpose.

d.    An organization that has a restricted event permit is restricted to one event per year and:

(1) May not pay remuneration to employees for personal services; (2) Shall use chips as wagers; (3) Shall redeem a player’s chips for merchandise prizes or cash; (4) Shall disburse net income to eligible uses referenced in subdivision c, if applicable, and in section 53-06.1-11.1; and

(5) Shall file a report prescribed by the attorney general with the governing body and attorney general.

2.    An eligible organization shall apply for a license to conduct only bingo, electronic quick shot bingo, raffles, calcuttas, pull tabs, punchboards, twenty-one, paddlewheels, poker, or sports pools by:

a.    First securing approval for a site authorization from the governing body of the city or county in which the proposed site is located. Approval, which may be granted at the discretion of the governing body, must be recorded on a site authorization form that is to accompany the license application to the attorney general for final approval. An eligible organization may request a specific site location on the site authorization form.

(1) A governing body:

(a)    May not require an eligible organization to donate net proceeds to the city, county, or related political subdivision or for community programs or services within the city or county as a condition for receiving a site authorization from the city or county; (b)    May not deny a site authorization solely because the eligible organization has not conducted gaming at the site; (c)    May not require that an eligible organization be located at a specific site as a condition of site authorization; (d)    May limit the type of games and the number of electronic pull tab devices or tables for the game of twenty-one per site, and the number of sites upon which a licensed organization may conduct games within the city or county; and

(e)    May charge a one hundred dollar fee for a site authorization.

(2) This subsection may not be construed to prohibit a governing body from:

(a)    Creating and enforcing rules that are more stringent than state law regarding charitable gaming as otherwise permitted in code; or

(b)    Denying a site authorization for just cause, including, after consultation with the attorney general, a violation of state law or local rules.

b.    Annually applying for a license from the attorney general before July first on a form prescribed by the attorney general and remitting a one hundred seventy-five dollar license fee for each city or county that approves a site authorization. The attorney general shall deposit twenty-five dollars of this fee into the charitable    gaming technology fund under section 53-06.1-12.4. However, the attorney general may allow an organization that only conducts a raffle or calcutta in two or more cities or counties to annually apply for a consolidated license and remit a one hundred seventy-five dollar license fee for each city or county in which a site is located. The attorney general shall deposit twenty-five dollars of this fee into the charitable gaming technology fund under section 53-06.1-12.4. An organization shall document that it qualifies as an eligible organization. If an organization amends its primary purpose as stated in its articles of incorporation or materially changes its basic character, the organization shall reapply for licensure. The attorney general may deny issuance of a license or deny renewal of a license to an eligible organization that has obtained approval of site authorization under subdivision a, if the organization or site is not in compliance with applicable laws and rules.

3.    A licensed organization or organization that has a permit shall conduct games as follows:

a.    Only one licensed organization or organization that has a permit may conduct games at an authorized site on a day, except a raffle or a sports pool conducted under a local permit may be conducted for a special occasion by another licensed organization or organization that has a permit when one of these conditions is met:

(1) When the area for the raffle or a sports pool is physically separated from the area where games are conducted by the regular organization.

(2) Upon request of the regular organization and with the approval of the alcoholic beverage establishment, the regular organization’s license or permit is suspended for that specific time of day by the attorney general.

b.    Except for a temporary site authorized for fourteen or fewer consecutive days for not more than two events per quarter or a licensed organization authorized on or before January 1, 2023, to conduct gaming at more than fifteen sites, a licensed organization, including a closely related organization, may not have more than fifteen sites.

c.    Games of electronic quick shot bingo, electronic pull tabs, pull tabs, punchboards, twenty-one, paddlewheels, poker, and sports pools may be conducted only during the hours when alcoholic beverages may be dispensed according to applicable regulations of the state, county, or city. Electronic pull tabs must be conducted in a designated area where patrons must be twenty-one years of age or older to enter.

d.    An organization may not permit a person under twenty-one years of age to directly or indirectly play pull tabs, punchboards, twenty-one, calcuttas, sports pools, paddlewheels, or poker. An organization may not permit an individual under eighteen years of age to directly or indirectly play electronic quick shot bingo. An organization may not permit an individual under eighteen years of age to directly or indirectly play bingo unless the individual is accompanied by an adult, bingo is conducted by an organization that has a permit, or the game’s prize structure does not exceed that allowed for a permit.

e.    An organization may not install more than ten electronic pull tab devices at a site. f.    An organization with more than fifteen licensed sites under subdivision b may not increase its number of sites beyond the number of sites licensed as of January 1, 2023.

g.    An organization conducting gaming at an authorized site on January 1, 2023, may continue to operate gaming, including as provided under subsection 1 of section 53-06.1-06, at the authorized site regardless of whether the authorized site is an alcoholic beverage establishment as defined under section 53-06.1-01. h.    For a raffle board, an organization permitted to conduct raffles shall sell the numbered squares on the board for the same price and may sell squares at a site thirty days before the drawing.

4.    A permit, or site authorization and license, must be displayed at a site.

5.    The attorney general may issue a conditional license to an eligible organization whose regularly issued license has expired or been suspended, revoked, or relinquished. The attorney general shall designate the time period for which the conditional license is valid and may impose any conditions.

6.    A governing body or local law enforcement official may inspect a site’s gaming equipment and examine or cause to be examined any gaming-related books and records of a licensed organization or organization that has a permit.