Sec. 7-169. Bingo. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 7-169. Bingo. (a) Definitions. The term "bingo" is defined as the name of a game in which each player receives a card containing several rows of numbers and, as numbers are drawn or otherwise obtained by chance and publicly announced, the player first having a specified number of announced numbers appearing on his card in a continuous straight line or covering a previously designated arrangement of numbers on such card is declared the winner. The word "person" or "applicant", as used in this section, means the officer or representative of the sponsoring organization or the organization itself. The term "session" means a series of games played in one day. "Executive director" means the executive director of the Division of Special Revenue within the Department of Revenue Services who shall be responsible for the administration and regulation of bingo in the state.

      (b) Vote of municipality. Upon a written petition of five per cent or more of the electors of any municipality requesting the selectmen, common council or other governing body of such municipality to vote upon the question of permitting the playing of bingo within such municipality, such governing body shall vote upon such question and, if the vote is in the affirmative, it shall be permitted, subject to the restrictions herein set forth, and if the vote is in the negative, bingo shall not be permitted to be played in such municipality. When the selectmen, common council or other governing body of any municipality have voted favorably upon the question of permitting the playing of bingo within such municipality, the playing of such game shall be permitted in such municipality indefinitely thereafter, without further petition or action by such governing body, unless such governing body has forbidden the playing of said game upon a similar written petition of five per cent or more of the electors of such municipality, whereupon bingo shall not be permitted to be played after such negative vote.

      (c) Regulations. The executive director of the Division of Special Revenue, with the advice and consent of the Gaming Policy Board, shall adopt, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, such regulations as are necessary effectively to carry out the provisions of this section and section 7-169a in order to prevent fraud and protect the public, which regulations shall have the effect of law.

      (d) Sponsorship. No bingo game or series of bingo games shall be promoted, operated or played unless the same is sponsored and conducted exclusively by a charitable, civic, educational, fraternal, veterans' or religious organization, volunteer fire department or grange. Any such organization or group shall have been organized for not less than two years prior to its application for a bingo permit under the terms of this section. The promotion and operation of said game or games shall be confined solely to the qualified members of the sponsoring organization, except that the executive director of the Division of Special Revenue may permit any qualified member of a sponsoring organization who has registered with the executive director, on a form prepared by him for such purpose, to assist in the operation of a game sponsored by another organization. The executive director may revoke such registration for cause.

      (e) Application for permit. Any eligible organization desiring to operate bingo games in any municipality in which the governing body has voted to permit the playing thereof shall make application to the executive director of the Division of Special Revenue, which application shall contain a statement of the name and address of the applicant, the location of the place at which the games are to be played and the seating capacity of such place, the date or dates for which a permit is sought, the class of permit sought and any other information which the executive director reasonably requires for the protection of the public, and, upon payment of the fee hereinafter provided for, the executive director is authorized to issue such permit, provided such eligible organization has been registered by him as provided in section 7-169a.

      (f) Bingo permits. Permits shall be known as "Class A" which shall be annual one-day-per-week permits and shall permit the conduct of not more than forty and not less than fifteen bingo games on such day, and "Class B" which shall permit not more than forty and not less than fifteen bingo games per day for a maximum of ten successive days, and "Class C" which shall be annual one-day-per-month permits and shall permit the conduct of not more than forty and not less than fifteen bingo games on such day. "Class A" permits shall allow the playing of bingo no more than one day weekly. Not more than two "Class B" permits shall be issued to any one organization within any twelve-month period. "Class C" permits shall allow the playing of bingo no more than one day per month.

      (g) Permit fees. Permit fees shall be remitted to the state as follows: "Class A", seventy-five dollars; "Class B", five dollars per day; "Class C", fifty dollars.

      (h) Records of receipts and disbursements. Each person who operates bingo games shall keep accurate records of receipts and disbursements, which shall be available for inspection by the executive director. Any information acquired by the executive director pursuant to this subsection shall be available to the Commissioner of Public Safety upon request.

      (i) Prizes. Prizes offered for the winning of bingo games may consist of cash, merchandise, tickets for any lottery conducted under chapter 226, the value of which shall be the purchase price printed on such tickets, or other personal property. No permittee may offer a prize which exceeds one hundred dollars in value, except that (1) a permittee may offer a prize or prizes on any one day of not less than one hundred one dollars or more than three hundred dollars in value, provided the total value of such prizes on any one day does not exceed twelve hundred dollars, (2) a permittee may offer one or two winner-take-all games or series of games played on any day on which the permittee is allowed to conduct bingo, provided ninety per cent of all receipts from the sale of bingo cards for such winner-take-all game or series of games shall be awarded as prizes and provided each prize awarded does not exceed five hundred dollars in value, (3) the holder of a Class A permit may offer two additional prizes on a weekly basis not to exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars each as a special grand prize and in the event such a special grand prize is not won, the money reserved for such prize shall be added to the money reserved for the next week's special grand prize, provided no such special grand prize may accumulate for more than sixteen weeks or exceed a total of two thousand dollars, and (4) a permittee may award door prizes the aggregate value of which shall not exceed two hundred dollars in value. When more than one player wins on the call of the same number, the designated prize shall be divided equally to the next nearest dollar. If a permittee elects, no winner may receive a prize which amounts to less than ten per cent of the announced prize and in such case the total of such multiple prizes may exceed the statutory limit of such game.

      (j) Imposition of regulation fee. Any organization operating or conducting a bingo game shall file a return with the executive director, on a form prepared by him, within ten days after such game is held or within such further time as the executive director may allow, and pay to the state a fee of five per cent of the gross receipts, less the prizes awarded including prizes reserved for special grand prize games, derived from such games at each bingo session. All such returns shall be public records. The executive director shall pay each municipality in which bingo games are conducted, one-quarter of one per cent of the total money wagered less prizes awarded on such games conducted. He shall make such payment at least once a year and not more than four times a year from the fee imposed pursuant to this subsection.

      (k) Suspension or revocation of permit. Cease and desist order. Notice. Hearing. Appeals. Penalty. (1) Whenever it appears to the executive director after an investigation that any person is violating or is about to violate any provision of this section or section 7-169a or administrative regulations issued pursuant thereto, the executive director may in his discretion, to protect the public welfare, order that any permit issued pursuant to this section be immediately suspended or revoked and that the person cease and desist from the actions constituting such violation or which would constitute such violation. After such an order is issued, the person named therein may, within fourteen days after receipt of the order, file a written request for a hearing. Such hearing shall be held in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54.

      (2) Whenever the executive director finds as the result of an investigation that any person has violated any provision of this section or section 7-169a or administrative regulations issued pursuant thereto or made any false statement in any application for a permit or in any report required by this section or section 7-169a or by the executive director, the executive director may send a notice to such person by certified mail, return receipt requested. Any such notice shall include (A) a reference to the section or regulation alleged to have been violated or the application or report in which an alleged false statement was made, (B) a short and plain statement of the matter asserted or charged, (C) the fact that any permit issued pursuant to this section may be suspended or revoked for such violation or false statement and the maximum penalty that may be imposed for such violation or false statement, and (D) the time and place for the hearing. Such hearing shall be fixed for a date not earlier than fourteen days after the notice is mailed.

      (3) The executive director shall hold a hearing upon the charges made unless such person fails to appear at the hearing. Such hearing shall be held in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54. If such person fails to appear at the hearing or if, after the hearing, the executive director finds that such person committed such a violation or made such a false statement, the executive director may, in his discretion, suspend or revoke such permit and order that a civil penalty of not more than two hundred dollars be imposed upon such person for such violation or false statement. The executive director shall send a copy of any order issued pursuant to this subdivision by certified mail, return receipt requested, to any person named in such order. Any person aggrieved by a decision of the executive director under this subdivision shall have a right of appeal to the Gaming Policy Board for a hearing. Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Gaming Policy Board shall have a right of appeal pursuant to section 4-183.

      (4) Whenever the executive director revokes a permit issued pursuant to this section, he shall not issue any permit to such permittee for one year after the date of such revocation.

      (5) Any person who promotes or operates any bingo game without a permit therefor, or who violates any provision of this section or section 7-169a or administrative regulations issued pursuant thereto, or who makes any false statement in any application for a permit or in any report required by this section or section 7-169a or by the executive director shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than sixty days or both.

      (1949 Rev., S. 703; 1959, P.A. 104; February, 1965, P.A. 451, S. 2-6, 8; 1967, P.A. 616, S. 1, 2; P.A. 73-239, S. 1, 3; P.A. 77-439; 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 80-297, S. 1, 20; P.A. 82-472, S. 11, 183; P.A. 84-142; P.A. 85-24; P.A. 86-419, S. 4, 25; P.A. 87-1, S. 3, 7; 87-44, S. 1; 87-48, S. 1, 2; 87-582, S. 1-3; P.A. 88-363, S. 1-3, 7; P.A. 89-214, S. 1, 26; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-17, S. 1, 59; P.A. 93-13; P.A. 03-178, S. 1; P.A. 04-7, S. 1; 04-256, S. 1; 04-257, S. 5; P.A. 07-144, S. 2.)

      History: 1959 act added violation of any provision of section to Subsec. (k); 1965 act amended Subsec. (a) to include as winner a player covering a previously designated arrangement of numbers and to define "session", amended Subsec. (c) to authorize the commissioner of state police instead of the governing board of such municipality to make regulations and to specify that such regulations are to prevent fraud and protect the public, amended Subsec. (e) to cover "eligible organizations" instead of "persons", to require applications to be in duplicate, duly executed and verified, to require registration of organizations and to require police chief or first selectmen to forward duplicate copy to commissioner, amended Subsec. (h) to add reference to commissioner of state police, amended Subsec. (i) to eliminate prohibition against cash prizes, specifying that they may be offered, and amended Subsec. (k) to provide a penalty for violating any provision of the section or regulations or for making a false statement; 1967 act amended Subsecs. (f) and (g) to include "Class C" permits; P.A. 73-239 amended Subsec. (i) to include tickets to lotteries conducted under chapter 226 as prizes; P.A. 77-439 in Subsec. (i) increased maximum for daily total in prizes from $250 to $350, for largest special prize from $50 to $100, and removed prohibition against extra prizes, permitting such extra prizes if total of all prizes does not exceed total permitted; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-297 amended Subsec. (g) raising permit fees and replacing provision that all fees are property of town with formulas for dividing fees between municipality and state; P.A. 82-472, under Subsec. (c), authorized commissioner to adopt regulations in accordance with Ch. 54 and deleted reference to repealed Secs. 4-41 to 4-50; P.A. 84-142 amended Subsec. (i), increasing the maximum retail value of all prizes offered in one day from $350 to $500 and providing that holders of class B or C permits may offer a weekly grand prize; P.A. 85-24 amended Subsec. (i)(1) and (2), increasing the maximum number and amount of special prizes offered in one day from one prize not to exceed $100 to two prizes not to exceed $125 each and from four to six prizes not to exceed $25 each; P.A. 86-419 amended Subsec. (a) to include definition of "executive director", Subsec. (c) to substitute executive director of the division of special revenue for commissioner of public safety, Subsec. (e) to require that application for a permit be made to the executive director, changing all references appropriately, Subsec. (f) to modify permit structure, retaining Class A and B permits and eliminating Class C permits, Subsec. (g) to eliminate prior provisions and to specify permit fees for Class A and B permits, Subsec. (h), to substitute executive director for authority authorized to issue permits and commissioner of public safety and to require that information be made available to said commissioner upon request, Subsec. (i) to modify the prize structure to permit winner-take-all games, the award of door prizes and cash prizes and to eliminate the $500-a-day prize limitation, and inserted new Subsec. (j) imposing a gross receipts tax on organizations with annual receipts of over $25,000 and relettered the remaining Subsecs. as Subsec. (k) substituting executive director for authority granting any such permit and Subsec. (l) substituting executive director for commissioner of public safety, effective October 1, 1987; P.A. 87-1 made technical corrections; P.A. 87-44 amended Subsec. (c) to require executive director to adopt regulations with the advice and consent of gaming policy board; P.A. 87-48 amended Subsec. (f), extending the expiration date for "Class B" permits from September fifteenth to the thirtieth, effective from April 14, 1987, to October 1, 1987; P.A. 87-582 amended Subsec. (b), effective from July 7, 1987, until October 1, 1987, to eliminate requirement re affirmative votes for two successive years upon question to permit indefinite bingo playing, instead requiring one affirmative vote to permit such playing, and to provide that any municipality which permitted bingo prior to July 7, 1987, shall be deemed to have been in compliance with provisions of subsection and, effective October 1, 1987, deleted all references to September first and September fifteenth and eliminated requirement re affirmative votes for two successive years upon question to permit indefinite bingo playing, instead requiring one affirmative vote to permit such playing; P.A. 88-363 amended Subsec. (c) to delete reference to repealed Sec. 7-169b, Subsec. (d) to permit any registered member of a sponsoring organization to assist in the operation of a game sponsored by another organization and to permit the revocation of such registration for cause, Subsec. (f) to provide that a maximum of two "Class B" permits shall be issued within a one-year period, Subsec. (g) to require a "Class B" permit fee of $5 per day in lieu of $50, Subsec. (i) to allow permittee to offer a greater variety of games and prizes, including one or two winner-take-all games, a special grand prize and the prizes specified in Subdiv. (1); Subsec. (j) to delete requirement that each organization with annual gross receipts of over $25,000 file an annual return and to require each organization conducting bingo to pay a fee to the state in lieu of a tax of 5% of the gross receipts, less prizes awarded, including special grand prizes, derived from such games at each bingo session, and to require executive director to pay each municipality in which bingo games are conducted not less than four times and not more than twelve times a year in lieu of annually not later than August thirty-first, effective May 2, 1988, and applicable to bingo games conducted on or after July 1, 1988, and Subsec. (l) to delete references to repealed Sec. 7-169b; P.A. 89-214 replaced existing Subsec. (k) with new Subdivs. (1) to (4), inclusive, authorizing executive director to immediately suspend or revoke any permit and issue cease and desist orders, to send notice to any person violating any provision of Secs. 7-169 and 7-169a and specifying requirements for notice, requiring executive director to hold a hearing upon charges made and authorizing him to suspend or revoke any permit and order imposition of a civil penalty, and prohibiting executive director from issuing any permit for one year after date of revocation whenever he revokes a permit, and designated former Subsec. (l) as Subsec. (k)(5); May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-17 amended Subsec. (f) to establish a "Class C" permit as an annual one-day-per-month permit, allowing the playing of bingo no more than one day per month, and amended Subsec. (g) to establish a permit fee of $50 for a "Class C" permit; P.A. 93-13 amended Subsec. (i)(3) to increase maximum period within which special grand prize may accumulate from 12 to 16 weeks, and amount of such prize from total of $1,500 to $2,000; P.A. 03-178 amended Subsec. (i)(1) to increase the total value of prizes on any one day from a maximum of $400 to $600 and Subsec. (i)(3) to increase the number of additional prizes the holder of a Class A permit may offer on a weekly basis not to exceed $125 as a special grand prize from one to two and to require, in lieu of authorize, that if a special grand prize is not won, the money reserved for such prize be added to the money reserved for next week's special grand prize; P.A. 04-7 amended Subsec. (j) to require the executive director to make payment at least once a year and not more than four times a year in lieu of not less than four times a year and not more than twelve times a year, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-256 amended Subsec. (k)(3) to provide a right of appeal to the Gaming Policy Board for any person aggrieved by a decision of the executive director and a right of appeal pursuant to Sec. 4-183 for any person aggrieved by a decision of the Gaming Policy Board, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-257 made technical changes in Subsec. (i), effective June 14, 2004; P.A. 07-144 amended Subsec. (i) to increase the maximum prize from $50 to $100, and to increase the maximum prizes listed in Subdiv. (1).

      "Class B" permit does not permit bingo games on Sunday. Under section 53-300, bingo is a secular business. 154 C. 583.

      Cited. 22 CA 229; judgment reversed and case remanded to appellate court with direction to remand it to trial court for further proceedings, see 217 C. 612.

      Cited. 33 CS 169.