Bill Text: NJ A2178 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Permits conduct of raffles at large sporting venues.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)
Status: (Passed) 2018-08-10 - Approved P.L.2018, c.79. [A2178 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-A2178-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GARY S. SCHAER
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Permits conduct of raffles at large sporting venues.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the conduct of raffles at large sporting venues and supplementing P.L.1954, c.5 (C.5:8-50 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. It shall be lawful for an organization eligible to conduct raffles in accordance with section 2 of P.L.1954, c.5 (C.5:8-1) and registered and licensed with the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission to conduct raffles in a large sporting venue located in a municipality where the provisions of the "Raffles Licensing Law," P.L.1954, c.5 (C.5:8-50 et seq.), are operative, provided that all other requirements to conduct raffles are met. To the extent any conflict exists between this act, P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), and the "Raffles Licensing Law," P.L.1954, c.5 (C.5:8-50 et seq.), then the provisions set forth in this act shall govern.
An organization conducting a raffle at a large sporting venue is subject to the following requirements:
(1) The organization conducting the raffle, in conjunction with the large sporting venue, shall announce the winner or winners of a raffle during the ticketed event in which the raffle is occurring. The organization and the large sporting venue shall post each winning raffle ticket on their respective websites, if such websites have been established, for one year or until each winner claims the prize and submits any required documentation. Any prize from a raffle shall be delivered to a claimant verified to have the winning ticket within 30 days of the event in which the raffle took place; however, if no claimant verified to have the winning ticket claims the prize and signs all reasonably necessary documentation within 30 days of the event at which the raffle took place, the organization conducting the raffle at a large sporting venue shall hold the proceeds for a period of one year from the date of the raffle. If no claimant with the winning raffle ticket claims the prize and has signed all reasonably necessary documentation within one year from the date of the drawing, then the prize shall be forfeited and shall revert back to the organization for its own authorized use.
(2) Any daily and annual limits on the value of prizes contained in existing law or regulation shall not apply to raffles conducted at large sporting venues in accordance with this act, P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
(3) On a quarterly basis in accordance with a schedule established by the commission, an organization conducting raffles in a large sporting venue in accordance with this act, P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), shall furnish to the control commission a duly verified statement showing the amount of the gross receipts derived from each such game of chance held, operated, or conducted in the preceding quarter, which shall include receipts from the sale of shares, tickets, or rights in any manner connected with participation in the game or the right to participate therein, each item of expense incurred or paid, and each item of expenditure made or to be made, name and address of each person to whom each such item has been or is to be paid, with a detailed description of the merchandise purchased or the services rendered therefor, the net proceeds derived from each such game of chance, and the uses to which such net proceeds have been or are to be applied and a list of prizes offered or given, with the respective values thereof and it shall be the duty of each organization to maintain and keep such books and records as may be necessary to substantiate the particulars of each such report.
b. Notwithstanding section 9 of P.L.1954, c.5 (C.5:8-58), an organization conducting raffles at a large sporting venue may conduct raffles on Sunday. Alcohol may be served at the sporting venue during the conduct of raffles provided that the sporting venue is the holder of a sporting facility license in accordance with R.S.33:1-12, or other appropriate license, to serve alcohol at retail for consumption on the premises by the glass or other open receptacle or in original containers. An organization conducting raffles at a large sporting venue is not required to conduct the drawings openly and in plain view of all players present.
c. Ticketing for raffles conducted at a large sporting venue may include electronic transactions, with payment by credit card to be permissible, but transactions shall be completed electronically on the premises through the Internet access available on, in, or surrounding the large sporting venue so long as the organization conducting raffles at a large sporting venue provides, either directly or through a third party, geo-fencing or other technology to restrict raffle ticket sales to those within the large sporting venue or the parking lots surrounding that venue. Tickets for raffles conducted in accordance with this act, P.L. , c, (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), shall not be subject to any ticket price limits set for the general conduct of raffles. Pre-set bundles of tickets may be sold at a discount to participants.
d. In the conduct of a 50-50 on premises raffle as defined by the commission, the prize may be awarded to a single participant or may be divided between a pre-determined number of participants. If the prize is to be divided between more than one participant, potential participants shall be made aware of such a division.
e. An organization conducting a raffle at a large sporting venue may sell only traditional paper tickets, may use only electronic raffle systems, or may use a combination of paper and electronic raffle systems. For raffles held using only electronic raffle systems or a combination of paper and electronic raffle systems, drawings may be conducted electronically, with the winner or winners selected by electronic means. Drawings for all raffles, including those in which only paper tickets are sold, may be conducted either by a traditional drawing of duplicate paper tickets or electronically, with the winner or winners selected by electronic means. For raffles conducted in paper form where winners are chosen electronically or in combination of paper and electronic raffle systems, the paper tickets shall be entered into the electronic raffle system for record-keeping and for drawing purposes so that the purchases of paper tickets have an equal chance of winning as the purchases of electronic rights.
f. As used in this section, "electronic raffle systems" means hardware, software, internet or Wi-Fi connected devices and associated devices that enable raffles to be conducted entirely by electronic means, with rights to participate sold electronically, that generate a unique electronic entry to the raffle that is the equivalent of a paper ticket, each an electronic ticket, at the point of sale on the premises of the large sporting venue recorded in the electronic raffle system as eligible entries or rights to participate, and winners determined by random drawing from all electronic entries or rights to participate;
"large sporting venue" means a stadium, arena, or similar venue with minimum seating for 8,000 spectators wherein professional, semi-professional, or collegiate athletes compete in sports or other athletic games; and
"net proceeds" means the gross income from the sale of tickets or rights to participate in a raffle, less only such actual expenses incurred as are authorized in the "Raffles Licensing Law," P.L.1954, c.5 (C.5:8-50 et seq.), and by the commission.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would permit raffles to be held by organizations authorized to conduct raffles at large sporting venues. The bill defines large sporting venues as a stadium, arena, or similar venue with minimum seating for 8,000 spectators wherein professional, semi-professional, or collegiate athletes compete in sports or other athletic games.
Moreover, the bill provides that alcohol may be served during the conduct of raffles, as long as the venue has the right to serve alcohol. Additionally, the bill would permit the electronic sale of raffle tickets, including electronically on the premises through the Internet access available on, in, or surrounding the large sporting venue so long as the organization conducting raffles at a large sporting venue provides geo-fencing or other technology to restrict raffle ticket sales to the large sporting venue or the parking lots surrounding that venue.
Under the bill, the organizations conducting raffles would be required to submit quarterly reports to the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission detailing its raffle activity in the preceding quarter. Moreover, the organization conducting the raffle and the sporting venue in which the raffle is conducted would be required to post each winning raffle ticket on their respective websites for a period up to one year.
This bill would allow charitable organizations affiliated with professional sports teams or other eligible organizations to conduct raffles in large sporting venues during sporting events.
