Bill Text: NJ S2023 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Removes licensing requirement for recreational bingo games.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-10-04 - Substituted by A1351 [S2023 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S2023-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Removes licensing requirement for recreational bingo games.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning bingo licenses, amending P.L.1973, c.324, and repealing section 2 of P.L.1973, c.324.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1973, c.324 (C.5:8-25.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. [The governing body of any municipality shall issue a special license to any senior citizen association or club] Any person, group, or organization desiring to hold, operate and conduct games of chance solely for [the purpose of] amusement and recreation [of its members. Said special license shall be valid only for those games of chance held, operated and conducted where] may do so, without licensure and without complying with the provisions of the "Bingo Licensing Law," P.L.1954, c.6 (C.5:8-24 et seq.), provided that no player or other person furnishes anything of value for the opportunity to participate; the prizes awarded or to be awarded are nominal; [no person other than a bona fide active member of the organization participates in the conduct of the games;] and no person is paid for conducting or assisting in the conduct of the game or games. [Said special license shall be issued under this act without fee and shall be effective for a period of 2 years.] The holding, operating and conducting of games of chance solely for amusement and recreation pursuant to this section shall not involve the use of any device into which currency, coins or tokens may be inserted or from which currency, coins or tokens, or any receipt for monetary value, can be dispensed or which, once provided to a person participating in bingo, is capable of communicating with other such devices.
(cf: P.L.1973, c.324, s.1)
2. Section 2 of P.L.1973, c.324 (C.5:8-25.2) is repealed.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would permit bingo
games conducted solely for recreation or amusement by any person, group, or
organization to be conducted without licensure under the "Bingo Licensing Law."
Under the bill, a bingo game may only be conducted without licensure if no
player or other person furnishes anything of value
for the opportunity to participate, the prizes awarded or to be awarded are
nominal, and no person is paid for conducting or assisting in the conduct of
the game or games. A bingo game being conducted for amusement or recreation
pursuant to the bill must not involve the use of any device into which
currency, coins or tokens may be inserted or from which currency, coins or
tokens, or any receipt for monetary value, can be dispensed or which, once
provided to a person participating in bingo, is capable of communicating with
other such devices.
The bill also repeals N.J.S.A.5:8-25.2, as no longer necessary, which provides for an exemption from the bingo licensing law for senior citizen associations and clubs that hold, operate and conduct games of chance solely for the purposes of amusement and recreation under a special license for recreational senior citizen bingo games.
