N.H. Rev. Stat. § 287-E:1

Current through the 2024 Legislative

Section 287-E:1 - Definitions

I. "Bingo" means any game, by whatever name called, in which a prize is offered to the person first covering squares in a predetermined design on a card marked into squares for that purpose. "Bingo" shall not include any game involving a slot machine or any other device in the nature of a slot machine.

II. "Bona fide guest" means any person who has paid the fee established by a private campground for utilization of a designated space for purposes of recreational camping, and invited guests and members of the family of such person. "Bona fide guest" shall not include the owner, operator or employees of the private campground, or the families of such persons, or persons invited to the private campground by the owner, operator or employees of the private campground for the purpose of participating in bingo games.

III. "Bona fide member" means a person who has held full and regular membership in the charitable organization for a period of not less than 60 days immediately prior to the bingo games in which such person intends to participate. To qualify as a "full and regular" member of a charitable organization, a person shall:

(a) Satisfy all criteria for membership in the charitable organization.

(b) Pay all lawful fees or dues required by the charitable organization.

(c) Not have become a member solely for the purpose of operating bingo games.

III-a. "Bonus" means a monetary prize provided by the charitable organization that is awarded in addition to prizes derived from moneys paid by players.

IV. "Carnival" means an event sponsored by a charitable organization at which various rides and amusements are offered and the profits of which are to be used to further the charitable purposes of the charitable organization.

IV-a. "Carry-over coverall" means a bingo game in which a prize is awarded to the player who achieves coverall within 50 or fewer balls. If no player achieves coverall, the prize accumulates and is rolled over to successive game dates.

V.

(a) "Charitable organization" means any bona fide religious, charitable, civic, veterans', fraternal, or church organization, including police and firemen's organizations and houses of worship which shall have been registered with the secretary of state for at least one year and in existence and organized under the laws of this state for at least one year in a town or city in this state. To be eligible for licensure under this chapter, a charitable organization shall do all of the following:

(1) Document that the organization has tax exempt status under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) 501(c)(4), 501(c)(7), 501(c)(8), 501(c)(10), or 501(c)(19) or is covered under a group ruling issued by the Internal Revenue Service under the authority of those sections.

(2) Establish that the religious, civic, fraternal, veterans, or charitable purposes for which it was organized, other than charitable gambling, are furthered through activities conducted in the town or city in which the charitable organization is organized.

(3) Document registration with the secretary of state for at least one year and, if required under RSA 7:19-32-a, with the director of charitable trusts.

(4) Maintain a current list of bona fide members.

(b) A charitable organization shall not include auxiliary units, committees or other entities organized under the auspices of a charitable organization eligible for licensure under this chapter, when such auxiliary unit, committee, or other entity is organized for the primary purpose of conducting bingo games or Lucky 7.

V-a. "Commercial hall" means any hall owned or leased by an individual, corporation, realty trust, partnership, association, or any other person who rents or leases the hall to a charitable organization for the operation of bingo games, excluding halls owned by any charitable organization or governmental subdivision as specified in RSA 287-E:5, VI.

VI. "Commission" means the state lottery commission.

VI-a. "Coverall" means a bingo game with 75 consecutively numbered balls drawn randomly in which a prize is awarded to the first player who covers all 24 numbers on a card.

VI-b. "Gaming consultant" means any individual or business entity who is hired by or otherwise receives compensation from a charitable organization to provide gaming related services including consultation, management, assistance with the operation of the bingo games or the sale of lucky 7 tickets, record keeping, filing forms with the commission, advertising, or security and who handles, manages, oversees, or disburses any of the funds derived from the operation of the charitable games.

VII. "Hotel" means "hotel" as defined in RSA 78-A:3.

VIII. "Private campground" means privately owned property, open to the public upon payment of a fee, which has been divided into 10 or more defined spaces upon which tents may be erected or recreational vehicles may be parked for the purposes of recreational camping. "Private campground" shall not include manufactured housing parks as defined in RSA 205-A:1 or recreational camps as defined in RSA 149:20.

IX. "Progressive" means a variation to any bingo game wherein a player receives a prize for achieving coverall in 50 or fewer balls drawn and if no player achieves coverall within 50 or fewer balls drawn, the number of balls drawn shall be increased one ball per game date, until it reaches the maximum of 60 balls, where it shall remain until the prize is awarded.

X. "Shared carry-over coverall" means a carry-over coverall bingo game conducted at a host hall and exhibited simultaneously to at least one participating hall by means of an electronic simulcast feed for the purpose of playing for a common jackpot with the conduct of the game at the host hall under rules adopted by the commission under RSA 541-A. "Host hall" means a commercial hall or charitable organization approved by the commission where a shared carry-over coverall bingo game originates. "Participating hall" means a commercial hall or charitable organization approved by the commission that receives a simulcast of the shared carry-over coverall played at the host hall.

RSA 287-E:1

Amended by 2021 , 174: 3, eff. 9/28/2021.

Amended by 2019 , 304: 10, eff. 1/1/2020.

Amended by 2018 , 300: 1, eff. 8/24/2018.

Amended by 2016 , 10: 1, eff. 9/14/2016.

Amended by 2015 , 276: 127, eff. 7/1/2015.

Amended by 2014 , 191: §§1, 2, 3, 4eff. 9/9/2014.

Amended by 2011 , 259: 28, eff. 9/11/2011.

1983, 417:1. 1998, 59:1. 2001, 206 : 1 . 2004, 97 : 8 ; 257:10. 2007, 280 : 4 . 2008, 25 : 1 . 2011, 259 : 28 . 2014, 191 : 1 -4. 2015, 276 : 127 , eff. July 1, 2015. 2016, 10 : 1 , eff. Sept. 14, 2016. 2018, 300 : 1 , eff. Aug. 24, 2018. 2019, 304 : 10 , eff. Jan. 1, 2020. 2021, 174 : 3 , eff. Sept. 28, 2021.