Bill > H988

This bill revises North Carolina's laws governing bingo games, with a particular focus on instant bingo. The bill expands the definition of bingo to explicitly include instant bingo, which is a game of chance played by selecting pre-designated paper or digital tickets where winners are determined by a preselected designation. It introduces new restrictions and provisions, such as limiting instant bingo to organizations exempt from certain tax codes, requiring paper instant bingo tickets to meet specific national gaming standards, and mandating that electronic instant bingo systems be tested and certified by an independent gaming laboratory. The bill also modifies rules around bingo sessions, increasing the maximum prize for a single instant bingo game to $600 and allowing certain organizations to hold more than two bingo sessions per week. Additionally, the bill updates accounting requirements, specifying that funds from bingo games must be kept in a separate bank account and can be used for specific purposes like prizes, advertising, utilities, and organizational charitable or civic activities. Organizations must now prepare an annual audit detailing their bingo game activities, which must be filed with the Alcohol Law Enforcement Division. The changes will take effect on October 1, 2025, and apply to bingo games conducted on or after that date.

Government Affairs

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H988