E-Filing of Bingo-Raffle Licenses

As you may know, the Colorado Department of State is now accepting electronic filings for new and renewing bingo-raffle license applications. Acceptable forms of payment include MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover or prepaid account.

Online filing is not mandatory. Paper filings are still accessible and accepted. The paper form can be found on our website here, but must be accompanied by a check or money order. Paper filings cannot be processed with a credit card.

If a group does file the application online, once they receive the notice that the license has been renewed, all a group needs to do is log back into their account and print the license at their convenience. The license is no longer attached to the notice of license renewal.

Please keep in mind that this functionality is only available to nonprofit licensees. Similar functionality will be available for halls, suppliers, and manufacturers in the future and we will keep you updated through the newsletter and other communications.

If you have Bingo-Raffle questions or need additional assistance please call the Bingo & Raffles program at 303-869-4910 or email us at licensing@coloradosos.gov

Playing Card Progressive Requirements

If your organization is currently, or is planning to hold, a playing card progressive game, please be aware of the following:

• For each start of a new progressive a void ticket must be filed with our office with the new start date of the progression (even though this start date is also on the daily LE-34C).
• We will need a copy of your posting to be sure that all information required by Rule 8 is covered either on the ticket and/or in the posting.

Again, as each progressive is concluded and new one started, you need to file an updated ticket and posting with the new start date of the progression. Each new progressive would be a “new” raffle, and the law requires that each raffle, where the prize exceeds $1,000 in total value, needs to have a void filed with our office prior to any sales. Please refer to Rule 8 for additional information regarding progressive playing card raffle requirements.

Quarterly Data Points: Annual Profits

The yearly net profit figures for 2014, 2015 and 2016 (to date) are referenced below. The raffle net profit has balanced out since 2014 at which time it was nearly 62% of the amount wagered, but is currently averaging in the mid to upper 40% range.

Bingo, including pull tabs and progressive games are remaining steady as are the pull tabs at bar figures.

The 4th quarter 2016 numbers are still coming in but we anticipate the year to be comparable with past years.

You can see much more detail on our office's quarterly charitable gaming financial report, located in PDF form on our website.

Games Manager Training

Remember, your organization must have at least one certified Games Manager in order to run charitable games, and we recommend licensees maintain more than one. We continue to offer in-person and online Games Manager training courses.

Sign up for the online eLearning course on our website.

For in-person classes, visit our Games Manager Training page and follow the instructions to sign up for a scheduled class.

The dates/times/places of upcoming Games Manager training classes follow:

Saturday, January 28, 2017 at 8:30 AM. BPO Elks 1051,103 E 4th St, Loveland, CO 80557

Saturday, February 4, 2017 at 8:30 AM. Shepherd of the Hill Lutheran School (parish hall), 7691 S University Blvd, Centennial, CO 80122

Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 8:30 AM. Confederacion Mutulista Mexican E Hispano-Americana, 34451 Highway 12, Trinidad, CO 81082

Saturday, March 11, 2017 at 8:30 AM. Knights of Columbus 5512, 521 Spruce, La Jara, CO 81140

Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at 5:30 PM. FO Eagles 143, 1050 S 21st St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904

Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 5:30 PM. LO Moose 21, 4688 W Alameda Ave, Denver, CO 80219

You can also sign up to host a Games Manager training course. Follow this link to provide us with a few details about you and your organization, and host a class soon.

The Games Manager mail-in certification exam is no longer available.

Disputes at Bingo Games

When there is a dispute in a bingo game and the Games Manager is not clear on the proper way to proceed, you should not pay any prize money until the dispute is resolved through the use of the law book. Rule 3 provides guidance on how bingo games must be played. If the dispute is not resolved, then no payment should be made, and you should contact our office. Rule 3.3.1 states that “While investigating disputed prizes, the Secretary of State may instruct a licensee to pay a disputed prize if the preponderance of the evidence is in favor of the player”.

In addition, always be sure that you have the proper signage in place at all times. That includes:

• Materials and notices that a licensee must post (Rule 2.4)
• Signs by each television monitor (rule 3.1.3)
• Progressive jackpot bingo game rules (Rule 3.2)
• Notification that all unsold tickets in a last sale pull tab game are not in the container (Rule 5.3.1 & 5.3.2).

This is not an exhaustive list of the signs and notices, but they are the ones that come up most often. Please be sure you understand all the laws and rules before proceeding.

Feel free to contact Investigator Darleen Herrera with questions at darleen.herrera@coloradosos.gov.

Depositing of Progressive Monies

Remember that you must deposit all moneys collected from playing progressive games, (bingo, pull tab, and raffle), into your segregated bingo/raffle account separately from other charitable gaming money. This means that if you play bingo, and one progressive bingo game, you will have two deposits. If you play bingo, one progressive bingo game, one progressive pull tab game, and one progressive raffle, you will have four deposits. Deposit slips for progressive bingo and pull tab games must indicate the serial numbers of the progressive bingo cards sold, and the serial numbers of the progressive pull tabs sold. A deposit for a progressive raffle must contain the words “Progressive Raffle”. All deposits must be made no later than the close of the business day after the occasion at which the progressive took place.