The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Dawn Romero Watson.
DIGEST
SB 200 Original 2022 Regular Session Jackson
Present law provides several requirements for electronic bingo machines including that a machine
play and display only the game of bingo, except that a random number generator in the machine shall
replace the drawing of numbered objects from a receptacle, and may play "cover-all bingo" in which
all numbers of the card must be covered. Specifically provides that an electronic video bingo
machine not contain entertainment display features simulating slot reels or card games.
Present law provides an exception to the requirements of the machine display for any person who
is licensed as a distributor to be permitted to operate electronic video bingo machines that are not
in compliance with present law if either of the following occurs:
(1)The licensed distributor has purchased or has entered into a lease agreement that was
approved by the office of charitable gaming for the total number of electronic video bingo
machines to be placed at a specific location and the electronic video bingo machines have
been permitted by the office and placed at a location that was approved by the office on or
prior to August 15, 2008; or
(2)The licensed distributor delivered to the office of charitable gaming or has sent by certified
mail an application with the required fees to have electronic video bingo machines permitted
and the application was received, but not approved by the office on or prior to August 15,
2008, and the application includes: (a) proof of purchase for the total number of video bingo
machines to be placed at a specific location; or (b) a nonrefundable deposit of a minimum
of 25% of the fair market value of the wholesale purchase price of the total number of
machines to be placed at a specific location; or (c) a nonrefundable deposit on a lease
agreement which is equivalent in value to a minimum of 25% of the fair market value of the
wholesale purchase price of the total number of machines to be placed at a specific location.
Present law provides that machines to which the exception is applicable may only be placed at a
location that was approved by the office of charitable gaming on or prior to August 15, 2008, or a
location for which a completed application with the required fees for the licensing to conduct
charitable gaming at a specific location has been received by the office on or prior to August 15,
2008. Specifically provides that locations that have not been approved by the office prior to August
15, 2008, but for which an application has been timely filed shall have received final approval from
the office and must be occupied by August 15, 2009, in order to operate electronic video bingo
machines under the exception.
Proposed law deletes the present law exception to the requirements of the machine display.
Present law provides that notwithstanding any other provision of present law, any electronic video bingo machine authorized pursuant to the exception in present law that is destroyed or rendered
inoperable in any manner may be replaced by an electronic video bingo machine of a similar make
and model even if such replacement electronic video bingo machine was purchased after August 15,
2008.
Proposed law provides that notwithstanding any other provision of present law, any electronic video
bingo machine that does not comply with present law and is destroyed or rendered inoperable in any
manner may be replaced by an electronic video bingo machine of a similar make and model at any
location approved by the office of charitable gaming, provided that no new permits for an additional
number of electronic video bingo machines that are not in compliance with present law shall be
issued.
Proposed law provides that on and after July 1, 2022, no new license shall be granted to any location
to operate electronic video bingo machines, within 500 feet of any property that is on the National
Register of Historic Places, any public playground, or a building used exclusively as a church,
synagogue, public library, or school. Provides that in municipalities and in unincorporated areas that
are divided into subdivisions with streets, blocks, and sidewalks, the distance shall be measured as
a person walks using the sidewalk from the nearest point of the property line of the property on the
National Registry of Historic Places, public playground, church, synagogue, public library, or school
to the nearest point of the premises to be licensed. Provides that outside of municipalities and in
unincorporated areas that are not divided into subdivisions with streets, blocks, or sidewalks, the
measurement of the distance shall be a straight line from the nearest point of the property line of the
property on the National Registry of Historic Places, public playground, church, synagogue, public
library, or school to the nearest point of the premises to be licensed.
Proposed law provides that no license shall be granted to a location that is within a parish that has
approved video draw poker or in a location within two miles of the border of a parish that has
approved video draw poker.
Effective July 1, 2022.
(Amends R.S. 4:724(J) and (K); adds R.S. 4:724(L))