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 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.  

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.