Virginia Code 18.2-340.25:2: Temporary permits authorized; limitations
A. Any qualified organization described in subdivision 4 or 5 of the definition of “organization” in § 18.2-340.16 may obtain a temporary permit from the Department allowing such organization to sell instant bingo, pull tabs, or seal cards upon premises located anywhere in the Commonwealth during a convention, conference, or related event lasting no more than seven consecutive days held by such organization’s affiliated state, regional, or national organization up to once per quarter as designated in the permit.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 18.2-340.25:2
- 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
- charitable games: means those raffles, Texas Hold'em poker tournaments, and games of chance explicitly authorized by this article. 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
- Department: means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. 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
- 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
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of 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 1-245
B. All complete applications for a permit shall be acted upon by the Department within 45 days from the filing thereof. Upon compliance by the applicant with the provisions of this article, and at the discretion of the Department, a temporary permit may be issued. All temporary permits when issued shall be valid for the period specified in the permit unless it is sooner suspended or revoked. No permit shall be valid for longer than one year. The application shall be a matter of public record.
All temporary permits shall be subject to regulation by the Department to ensure the public safety and welfare in the operation of charitable games. The temporary permit shall only be granted after a reasonable investigation has been conducted by the Department. The Department may require any prospective employee, permit holder, or applicant to submit to fingerprinting and to provide personal descriptive information to be forwarded along with the employee’s, permit holder’s, or applicant’s fingerprints through the Central Criminal Records Exchange to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purposes of obtaining criminal history record information regarding such prospective employee, permit holder, or applicant. The Central Criminal Records Exchange upon receipt of a prospective employee, permit holder, or applicant record or notification that no record exists shall forward the report to the Commissioner of the Department or his designee, who shall belong to a governmental entity. However, nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require the routine fingerprinting of volunteer bingo workers.
C. In no case shall an organization receive more than one temporary permit allowing it to conduct charitable gaming; however, an organization may also receive a permit in accordance with the provisions of § 18.2-340.25.
D. Application for a temporary permit shall be made on forms prescribed by the Department and shall be accompanied by payment of the fee for processing the application.
E. Applications for renewal of temporary permits shall be made in accordance with Department regulations. If a complete renewal application is received 45 days or more prior to the expiration of the temporary permit, the temporary permit shall continue to be effective until such time as the Department has taken final action. Otherwise, the temporary permit shall expire at the end of its term.
F. The failure to meet any of the requirements of § 18.2-340.24 shall cause the automatic denial of the temporary permit, and no organization shall conduct any charitable gaming in accordance with the provisions of subsection A until such requirements are met and a temporary permit is obtained.