Virginia Code 18.2-340.19: Regulations of the Department
A. The Department shall adopt regulations that:
Terms Used In Virginia Code 18.2-340.19
- Bingo: means a specific game of chance played with (i) individual cards having randomly numbered squares ranging from one to 75, (ii) Department-approved electronic devices that display facsimiles of bingo cards and are used for the purpose of marking and monitoring players' cards as numbers are called, or (iii) Department-approved cards, in which prizes are awarded on the basis of designated numbers on such cards conforming to a predetermined pattern of numbers selected at random. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Bona fide member: means an individual who participates in activities of a qualified organization other than such organization's charitable gaming activities. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- charitable gaming: includes electronic gaming authorized by this article. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Commissioner: means the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Conduct: means the actions associated with the provision of a gaming operation during and immediately before or after the permitted activity, which may include (i) selling bingo cards or packs, electronic devices, instant bingo or pull-tab cards, or raffle tickets, (ii) calling bingo games, (iii) distributing prizes, and (iv) any other services provided by volunteer workers. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Department: means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Electronic gaming adjusted gross receipts: means the gross receipts derived from electronic gaming less the total amount in prize money paid out to players. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. Source: OCC
- Gross receipts: means the total amount of money generated by an organization from charitable gaming before the deduction of expenses, including prizes. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
- Management: means the provision of oversight of a gaming operation, which may include the responsibilities of applying for and maintaining a permit or authorization, compiling, submitting, and maintaining required records and financial reports, and ensuring that all aspects of the operation are in compliance with all applicable statutes and regulations. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Network bingo: means a specific bingo game in which pari-mutuel play is permitted. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Network bingo provider: means a person licensed by the Department to operate network bingo. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Operation: means the activities associated with production of a charitable gaming or electronic gaming activity, which may include (i) the direct on-site supervision of the conduct of charitable gaming and electronic gaming; (ii) coordination of volunteers; and (iii) all responsibilities of charitable gaming and electronic gaming designated by the organization's management. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Organization: means any one of the following:
1. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- permit: means a permit issued by the Department to an organization that authorizes such organization to conduct charitable gaming, and if such organization is qualified as a social organization, electronic gaming. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Person: includes any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof. See Virginia Code 1-230
- Qualified organization: means any organization to which a valid permit has been issued by the Department to conduct charitable gaming or any organization that is exempt pursuant to § 18. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Raffle: means a lottery in which the prize is won by (i) a random drawing of the name or prearranged number of one or more persons purchasing chances or (ii) a random contest in which the winning name or preassigned number of one or more persons purchasing chances is determined by a race involving inanimate objects floating on a body of water, commonly referred to as a "duck race. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
- seal cards: means specific games of chance played by the random selection of one or more individually prepacked cards with winners being determined by the preprinted or predetermined appearance of concealed letters, numbers, or symbols that must be exposed by the player to determine wins and losses and may include the use of a seal card that conceals one or more numbers or symbols that have been designated in advance as prize winners. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- Social organization: means any qualified organization that provides certification to the Department that it is:
1. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
1. Require, as a condition of receiving a charitable gaming permit or authorization to conduct electronic gaming, that the applicant use a predetermined percentage of its receipts for (i) those lawful religious, charitable, community, or educational purposes for which the organization is specifically chartered or organized or (ii) those expenses relating to the acquisition, construction, maintenance, or repair of any interest in real property involved in the operation of the organization and used for lawful religious, charitable, community, or educational purposes, as follows:
a. With respect to charitable gaming, other than electronic gaming, a predetermined percentage of its gross receipts.
b. With respect to electronic gaming, a predetermined percentage of its electronic gaming adjusted gross receipts.
2. Specify the conditions under which a complete list of the organization’s members who participate in the management, operation, or conduct of charitable gaming may be required in order for the Department to ascertain the percentage of Virginia residents in accordance with subdivision A 3 of § 18.2-340.24.
Membership lists furnished to the Department in accordance with this subdivision shall not be a matter of public record and shall be exempt from disclosure under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.).
3. Prescribe fees for processing applications for charitable gaming permits and authorizing social organizations to conduct electronic gaming. Such fees may reflect the nature and extent of the charitable gaming activity proposed to be conducted.
4. Establish requirements for the audit of all reports required in accordance with §§ 18.2-340.30 and 18.2-340.30:2.
5. Define electronic and mechanical equipment used in the conduct of charitable gaming. Department regulations shall include capacity for such equipment to provide full automatic daubing as numbers are called. For the purposes of this subdivision, electronic or mechanical equipment for instant bingo, pull tabs, or seal cards shall include such equipment that displays facsimiles of instant bingo, pull tabs, or seal cards and are used solely for the purpose of dispensing or opening such paper or electronic cards, or both; but shall not include (i) devices operated by dropping one or more coins or tokens into a slot and pulling a handle or pushing a button or touchpoint on a touchscreen to activate one to three or more reels marked into horizontal segments by varying symbols, where the predetermined prize amount depends on how and how many of the symbols line up when the rotating reels come to rest, or (ii) other similar devices that display flashing lights or illuminations, or bells, whistles, or other sounds, solely intended to entice players to play. Such regulations shall not prohibit the use of multiple video monitors or touchscreens on an electronic gaming device.
6. Prescribe the conditions under which a qualified organization may (i) provide food and nonalcoholic beverages to its members who participate in the management, operation, or conduct of bingo; (ii) permit members who participate in the management, operation, or conduct of bingo to play bingo; and (iii) subject to the provisions of subdivision 12 of § 18.2-340.33, permit nonmembers to participate in the conduct of bingo so long as the nonmembers are under the direct supervision of a bona fide member of the organization during the bingo game.
7. Prescribe the conditions under which a qualified organization may sell raffle tickets for a raffle drawing that will be held outside the Commonwealth pursuant to subsection B of § 18.2-340.26.
8. Prescribe the conditions under which persons who are bona fide members of a qualified organization or a child, above the age of 13 years, of a bona fide member of such organization may participate in the conduct or operation of bingo games.
9. Prescribe the conditions under which a person below the age of 18 years may play bingo, provided that such person is accompanied by his parent or legal guardian.
10. Require all qualified organizations that are subject to Department regulations to post in a conspicuous place in every place where charitable gaming is conducted a sign which bears a toll-free telephone number for “Gamblers Anonymous” or other organization which provides assistance to compulsive gamblers.
11. Prescribe the conditions under which a qualified organization may sell network bingo cards in accordance with § 18.2-340.28:1 and establish a percentage of proceeds derived from network bingo sales to be allocated to (i) prize pools, (ii) the organization conducting the network bingo, and (iii) the network bingo provider. The regulations shall also establish procedures for the retainage and ultimate distribution of any unclaimed prize.
12. Prescribe the conditions under which a qualified organization may manage, operate, or contract with operators of, or conduct Texas Hold’em poker tournaments.
13. Prescribe the conditions under which a qualified organization may lease the premises of a permitted social organization for the purpose of conducting bingo, network bingo, instant bingo, pull tabs, seal cards, and electronic gaming permitted under this article and establish requirements for proper financial reporting of all disbursements, gross receipts, and electronic gaming adjusted gross receipts and payment of all fees required under this article.
B. The Commissioner may, by regulation, approve variations to the card formats for bingo games, provided that such variations result in bingo games that are conducted in a manner consistent with the provisions of this article. Department-approved variations may include bingo games commonly referred to as player selection games and 90-number bingo.
1995, c. 837; 1996, c. 919; 1997, cc. 777, 838; 1998, c. 845; 2001, c. 833; 2003, c. 884; 2006, c. 644; 2010, cc. 429, 572; 2013, cc. 36, 350; 2020, cc. 568, 982; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 14, 499, 520; 2022, cc. 554, 609, 722, 767.