Senate Bill Report: HB 1707 (Charitable/nonprofit bingo — county-location requirement)

Summary

A Senate Bill Report on HB 1707, as of March 14, 2023, prepared by non-partisan staff of the Senate Committee on Business, Financial Services, Gaming & Trade. The bill, sponsored by Representatives Kloba, Reed and Eslick, concerns bingo conducted by bona fide charitable or nonprofit organizations and passed the House on 3/4/23, 96-0. The report's background section describes existing law on charitable bingo, including satellite bingo offered since 1999 and changes the Legislature made in 2002. Its summary states that the bill removes the requirement that games be conducted in the county where the organization is principally located, requires organizations to be principally located in Washington, and limits them to three licenses. The report lists no appropriation, notes that a fiscal note is available, and gives the effective date as ninety days after adjournment.

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Full text

SENATE BILL REPORT
HB 1707

As of March 14, 2023

Title: An act relating to bingo conducted by bona fide charitable or nonprofit organizations.

Brief Description: Concerning bingo conducted by bona fide charitable or nonprofit

organizations.

Sponsors: Representatives Kloba, Reed and Eslick.

Brief History: Passed House: 3/4/23, 96-0.

Committee Activity: Business, Financial Services, Gaming & Trade: 3/16/23.

Brief Summary of Bill

¢ Eliminates the requirement in the definition of bingo that a game must be
conducted only in the county within which the organization is principally
located.

¢ Requires organizations licensed to conduct bingo games be based in
Washington and is limited to a maximum of three licenses to conduct
bingo activities.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS, FINANCIAL SERVICES, GAMING & TRADE

Staff: Clinton McCarthy (786-7319)

Background: The Legislature has declared fund-raising by bona fide charitable and
nonprofit organizations to be in the public interest. In addition to specific fund-raising
events, charitable and nonprofit organizations may conduct bingo games up to three times
per week. Bingo games are those in which prizes are awarded on the basis of matching
numbers or symbols on a card to numbers or symbols selected at random. Bingo cards may
be sold only at the time and place where the game is conducted. In 1999, bona fide
charitable and nonprofit organizations began offering satellite bingo. This game allows

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative
members in their deliberations. This analysis is not part of the legislation nor does it
constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Senate Bill Report -l- HB 1707
bingo halls to join together once or twice daily—during operating hours—to offer a large
guaranteed prize to one winner within this state.

In 2002, the Legislature removed provisions that limited charitable and nonprofit
organizations from conducting bingo or using their premises to conduct bingo more than
three days a week. Charitable and nonprofit organizations licensed to conduct bingo were
permitted to share bingo facilities. Organizations that conducted bingo games more than
three times a week were directed to include a warning on the hazard of pathological
gambling on any of its advertising or promotion of its gambling activities.

The definition of the term bingo in current statute requires games to be conducted within the
county where the charitable organization or non profit is principally located.

Summary of Bill: The requirement that games be conducted within the county where the
charitable organization or non profit is principally located is removed from the definition of
the term bingo. A bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization must be principally located
in the state of Washington, and is limited to three licenses to conduct bingo activities.
Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Senate Bill Report -2- HB 1707

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Original

app.leg.wa.gov