If an activity meets the definition of gambling in the Gambling Act, it is prohibited unless authorized in law. Gambling is defined as staking or risking something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under the person's control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that the person or someone else will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome. Specific activities are excluded from the definition, such as fishing derbies, pari-mutuel betting on horse racing regulated under other statutes, and bona fide business transactions valid under the law of contracts, including futures contracts for commodities. The Gambling Act expressly authorizes certain gambling activities or specifies that certain activities do not constitute gambling. Golfing sweepstakes are one of these activities.
Golf sweepstakes were authorized for bona fide charitable or nonprofit organizations to conduct golfing sweepstakes in 1997, without having to obtain a permit or license to do so. These games can be conducted in three different ways.
The Legislature authorizes shooting sports and activities sweepstakes for bona fide charitable or nonprofit organizations. Shooting sports is defined to include sports and activities such as target shooting, skeet, trap, sporting clays, five stand, and archery. Much like golf sweepstakes contests authorized by the Legislature, these types of contests can be conducted in three different ways:
Participation in these contests is limited to members of the sponsoring organization and their guests.
PRO: More and more locations that are legal for children to learn to shoot are closing down. This will provide more revenue for locations like this. If this activity were legal, we'd get more customers. We've worked with the Gambling Commission. If it is good for the golfers, it is good for the shooters.