Virginia Code 18.2-340.24: Eligibility for permit; exceptions; where valid
A. To be eligible for a permit to conduct charitable gaming, an organization shall:
Terms Used In Virginia Code 18.2-340.24
- charitable gaming: includes electronic gaming authorized by this article. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- City: means an independent incorporated community which became a city as provided by law before noon on July 1, 1971, or which has within defined boundaries a population of 5,000 or more and which has become a city as provided by law. See Virginia Code 1-208
- 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
- Department: means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. See Virginia Code 18.2-340.16
- 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
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- 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
- Town: means any existing town or an incorporated community within one or more counties which became a town before noon, July 1, 1971, as provided by law or which has within defined boundaries a population of 1,000 or more and which has become a town as provided by law. See Virginia Code 1-254
- United States: includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-255
1. Have been in existence and met on a regular basis in the Commonwealth for a period of at least three years immediately prior to applying for a permit.
The three-year residency requirement shall not apply (i) to any lodge or chapter of a national or international fraternal order or of a national or international civic organization which is exempt under § 501(c) of the United States Internal Revenue Code and which has a lodge or chapter holding a charitable gaming permit issued under the provisions of this article anywhere within the Commonwealth; (ii) to booster clubs which have been operating for less than three years and which have been established solely to raise funds for school-sponsored activities in public schools or private schools accredited pursuant to § 22.1-19; (iii) to recently established volunteer fire and rescue companies or departments, after county, city, or town approval; or (iv) to an organization which relocates its meeting place on a permanent basis from one jurisdiction to another, complies with the requirements of subdivision 2 of this section, and was the holder of a valid permit at the time of its relocation.
2. Be operating currently and have always been operated as a nonprofit organization.
3. Have at least 50 percent of its membership consist of residents of the Commonwealth; however, if an organization (i) does not consist of bona fide members and (ii) is exempt under § 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, the Department shall exempt such organizations from the requirements of this subdivision.
B. Any organization whose gross receipts from all charitable gaming exceeds or can be expected to exceed $40,000 in any calendar year shall have been granted tax-exempt status pursuant to § 501(c) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. At the same time tax-exempt status is sought from the Internal Revenue Service, the same documentation may be filed with the Department in conjunction with an application for a charitable gaming permit. If such documentation is filed, the Department may, after reviewing such documentation it deems necessary, issue a charitable gaming permit.
C. A permit shall be valid only for the dates and times designated in the permit.
1995, c. 837; 1996, c. 919; 2003, c. 884; 2006, c. 644; 2009, c. 121; 2014, c. 208; 2020, c. 568; 2022, cc. 554, 609.