[atlas:bill]

H-1227.1 _______________________________________________

HOUSE BILL 1877

_______________________________________________

State of Washington 56th Legislature 1999 Regular Session

By Representatives Clements, Conway, Radcliff, Scott, Mitchell, Wood and Ericksen

Read first time 02/09/1999. Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

AN ACT Relating to electronic bingo; amending RCW 9.46.0205; and adding a new section to chapter 9.46 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 9.46 RCW to read as follows:

"Electronic bingo" means an instate networked bingo game utilized by licensed charitable and nonprofit organizations that conduct and have conducted traditional, nonelectronic "bingo" for a period of at least twelve consecutive months prior to utilizing electronic bingo, and in which a minimum of two players participating in licensed bingo locations compete against players in the same or other licensed bingo locations for prizes awarded on the basis of achieving a bingo. A bingo is achieved by matching and daubing designated numbers or symbols on electronic or computer generated bingo cards to corresponding numbers or symbols that have been selected at random from either a manual bingo ball blower or an approved electronic number generator. In adopting rules for this activity, the commission shall not limit electronic bingo to current bingo technology, but shall allow charitable and nonprofit organizations to use electronic, computer, or other modern technological aids to increase player participation and enhance profitability for those organizations utilizing this activity. Electronic bingo shall not include the use of stand-alone or networked player terminals or other electronic devices that allow for individual play against such terminals or devices. Such terminals or devices shall be deemed to be unauthorized gambling devices subject to the penalties set forth under RCW 9.46.231. Electronic bingo shall not be utilized by any charitable, nonprofit organization that does not conduct traditional, nonelectronic bingo.

Sec. 2. RCW 9.46.0205 and 1987 c 4 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

"Bingo," as used in this chapter, includes "electronic bingo," as defined in this chapter, and means a game conducted only in the county within which the organization is principally located in which prizes are awarded on the basis of designated numbers or symbols on a card conforming to numbers or symbols selected at random and in which no cards are sold except at the time and place of said game, when said game is conducted by a bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization which does not conduct or allow its premises to be used for conducting bingo, except for electronic bingo, on more than three occasions per week and which does not conduct bingo in any location which is used for conducting bingo on more than three occasions per week, or if an agricultural fair authorized under chapters 15.76 and 36.37 RCW, which does not conduct bingo on more than twelve consecutive days in any calendar year, and except in the case of any agricultural fair as authorized under chapters 15.76 and 36.37 RCW, and except for electronic bingo, no person other than a bona fide member or an employee of said organization takes any part in the management or operation of said game, and no person who takes any part in the management or operation of said game takes any part in the management or operation of any game conducted by any other organization or any other branch of the same organization, unless approved by the commission, and no part of the proceeds thereof inure to the benefit of any person other than the organization conducting said game. For the purposes of this section, the organization shall be deemed to be principally located in the county within which it has its primary business office. If the organization has no business office, the organization shall be deemed to be located in the county of principal residence of its chief executive officer((: PROVIDED, That any organization which is conducting any licensed and established bingo game in any locale as of January 1, 1981, shall be exempt from the requirement that such game be conducted in the county in which the organization is principally located)).