Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 2915 | Gambling
Section 2915.14 | Illegal Electronic Instant Bingo Conduct.

Effective: September 30, 2021
Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly
(A) No charitable organization shall conduct electronic instant bingo unless all of the following are true:
(1) The organization is a veteran's organization described in division (J) of section 2915.01 of the Revised Code, or is a fraternal organization described in division (L) of section 2915.01 of the Revised Code, and the organization qualified as a veteran's organization or fraternal organization, as applicable, on or before June 30, 2021.
(2) The organization is a veteran's organization described in subsection 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code or is, and has received from the internal revenue service a determination letter that is currently in effect stating that the organization is, exempt from federal income taxation under subsection 501(a), and is described in subsection 501(c)(7), 501(c)(8), 501(c)(10), or 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(3) The organization has not conducted a raffle in violation of division (B) of section 2915.092 of the Revised Code using an electronic raffle machine, as described in Ohio Veterans and Fraternal Charitable Coalition v. DeWine, Case No. 13-CV-13610 (C.P. Franklin Co. February 23, 2018), at any time on or after January 1, 2022.
(B) No charitable organization that conducts electronic instant bingo shall do any of the following:
(1) Possess an electronic instant bingo system that was not obtained in accordance with this chapter or with any rule adopted under this chapter;
(2) Conduct electronic instant bingo on any day, at any time, or on any premises not specified on the organization's type II or type III license issued under section 2915.08 of the Revised Code;
(3) Hold more than one valid license to conduct electronic instant bingo at any one time;
(4) Conduct electronic instant bingo on more than one premises or on any premises other than the charitable organization's principal place of business;
(5) Operate more than ten electronic bingo systems at the premises on which the charitable organization conducts electronic instant bingo under its license;
(6) Fail to display both of the following conspicuously at the premises on which the charitable organization conducts electronic instant bingo:
(a) The charitable organization's bingo license;
(b) The serial number of each deal of electronic instant bingo tickets being sold.
(7) Permit any person the charitable organization knows, or should have known, to be under eighteen years of age to play electronic instant bingo;
(8) Sell or provide to any person an electronic instant bingo ticket for a price different from the price displayed on the game flare for that deal, except that the charitable organization may give a participant who wins an electronic instant bingo game an electronic instant bingo ticket as a prize in place of a cash prize;
(9) Fail, once an electronic instant bingo deal is begun, to continue to sell tickets in that deal until all prizes have been awarded;
(10) Permit any person whom the organization knows, or should have known, has been convicted of a felony or gambling offense in any jurisdiction to be a bingo game operator in the conduct of electronic instant bingo;
(11) Permit a bingo game operator to play electronic instant bingo;
(12)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(12)(b) of this section, pay compensation to a bingo game operator for conducting electronic instant bingo.
(b) Division (B)(12)(a) of this section does not prohibit an employee of a veteran's organization or fraternal organization from redeeming electronic instant bingo tickets or vouchers for the organization's members or invited guests, so long as no portion of the employee's compensation is paid from any bingo receipts.
(13) Pay consulting fees to any person in relation to electronic instant bingo.
(C) No person shall sell, offer to sell, or otherwise provide or offer to provide an electronic instant bingo system to any person for use in this state unless the electronic instant bingo system has been approved under section 2915.15 of the Revised Code.
(D) The attorney general shall adopt rules under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to ensure the integrity of electronic instant bingo, including, but not limited to, rules governing all of the following:
(1) The requirements to receive a license or endorsement to conduct electronic instant bingo;
(2) The location and number of electronic instant bingo systems in use, which shall not exceed ten at the single licensed location per organization;
(3) The times when electronic instant bingo may be offered;
(4) Signage requirements in facilities where electronic instant bingo is offered;
(5) Electronic instant bingo device and system specifications, including reveal features and game themes;
(6) Procedures and standards for the review, approval, inspection, and monitoring of electronic instant bingo systems, as described in section 2915.15 of the Revised Code;
(7) Procedures and standards for the review and approval of any changes to technology, systems, or games licensed or permitted under this chapter;
(8) The fees to be charged under section 2915.15 of the Revised Code for review, approval, inspection, and monitoring of electronic instant bingo systems;
(9) Procedures allowing the attorney general to seek a summary suspension of a license to conduct electronic instant bingo or a license to manufacture or distribute electronic instant bingo systems if the attorney general has good cause to believe that the person or organization licensed to conduct electronic instant bingo, or the person or organization licensed to manufacture or distribute electronic instant bingo systems, or any of the organization's employees, officers, directors, agents, representatives, or partners, has violated this chapter or a rule adopted under this chapter.
(E) Whoever knowingly violates division (A), (B), or (C) of this section or a rule adopted under division (D) of this section is guilty of illegal electronic instant bingo conduct. Illegal electronic instant bingo conduct is a misdemeanor of the first degree, except that if the offender previously has been convicted of a violation of division (A) or (B) of this section or of a rule adopted under division (D) of this section, illegal instant bingo conduct is a felony of the fifth degree.
Last updated September 9, 2021 at 12:22 PM