New York General Municipal Law Section 479 - Restrictions upon conduct of bingo games.

479. Restrictions upon conduct of bingo games. The conduct of bingo games authorized by local law or ordinance shall be subject to the following restrictions irrespective of whether the restrictions are contained in such local law or ordinance; but nothing herein shall be construed to prevent the inclusion within such local law or ordinance of other provisions imposing additional restrictions upon the conduct of bingo games:

1. No person, firm, association, corporation or organization, other than a licensee under the provisions of this article, shall conduct such game or shall lease or otherwise make available for conducting bingo a hall or other premises for any consideration whatsoever, direct or indirect.

2. No bingo games shall be held, operated or conducted on or within any leased premises if rental under such lease is to be paid, wholly or partly, on the basis of a percentage of the receipts or net profits derived from the operation of such game.

3. No authorized organization licensed under the provisions of this article shall purchase, lease, or receive any supplies or equipment specifically designed or adapted for use in the conduct of bingo games from other than a supplier licensed under the bingo control law or from another authorized organization.

4. The entire net proceeds of any game of bingo and of any rental shall be exclusively devoted to the lawful purposes of the organization permitted to conduct the same.

5. No prize shall exceed the sum or value of five thousand dollars in any single game of bingo.

6. No series of prizes on any one bingo occasion shall aggregate more than fifteen thousand dollars.

7. No person except a bona fide member of any such organization shall participate in the management or operation of such game.

8. No person shall receive any remuneration for participating in the management or operation of any game of bingo.

9. The unauthorized conduct of a bingo game and any wilful violation of any provision of any local law or ordinance shall constitute and be punishable as a misdemeanor.

9-a. No person licensed to sell bingo supplies or equipment, or their agents, shall conduct, participate in, or assist in the conduct of bingo. Nothing herein shall prohibit a licensed distributor from selling, offering for sale, or explaining a product to an authorized organization, or installing, or servicing bingo equipment, upon the premises of a bingo game licensee.

10. Limited period bingo shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this article and the rules and regulations of the commission.


Last modified: February 3, 2019