SLS 23RS-369 REENGROSSED
2023 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 189
BY SENATOR JACKSON
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
CHARITABLE GAMING. Provides relative to electronic or video bingo machines and
licensed premises. (7/1/23)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 4:724(J) and to enact R.S. 4:724(L) and (M), relative to
3 electronic or video bingo; to provide for operation of machines by a licensed
4 distributor if certain criteria are met; to provide for authorized locations; to provide
5 for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 4:724(J) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 4:724(L) and (M)
8 are hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง724. Use of electronic or video bingo games
10 * * *
11 J.(1) Any license or permit that was issued to any location for the use of
12 electronic bingo machines on or before June 30, 2022, is a bona fide and valid
13 license and permit under Louisiana law.
14 (2) Any license or permit that was issued to any distributor for the use
15 of electronic video bingo machines on or before June 30, 2022, is a bona fide and
16 valid license and permit under Louisiana law.
17 Any person who is licensed as a distributor shall be permitted to operate
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1 electronic video bingo machines which are not in compliance with the provisions of
2 R.S. 4:724(B)(5) if either of the following occurs:
3 (a) The licensed distributor has purchased or has entered into a lease
4 agreement approved by the office for the total number of electronic video bingo
5 machines to be placed at a specific location and the electronic video bingo machines
6 have been permitted by the office and placed at a location which has been approved
7 by the office on or prior to August 15, 2008; or
8 (b) The licensed distributor has delivered to the office or has sent by certified
9 mail an application with the required fees to have electronic video bingo machines
10 permitted, which application has been received, but not approved by the office on or
11 prior to August 15, 2008, and the application includes one of the following:
12 (i) Proof of purchase for the total number of video bingo machines to be
13 placed at a specific location.
14 (ii) A nonrefundable deposit of a minimum of twenty-five percent of the fair
15 market value of the wholesale purchase price of the total number of machines to be
16 placed at a specific location.
17 (iii) A nonrefundable deposit on a lease agreement which is equivalent in
18 value to a minimum of twenty-five percent of the fair market value of the wholesale
19 purchase price of the total number of machines to be placed at a specific location.
20 (2) Electronic video bingo machines authorized by the provisions of this
21 Subsection shall only be placed at one of the following locations:
22 (a) A location which has been approved by the office on or prior to August
23 15, 2008; or
24 (b) A location for which a completed application with the required fees for
25 the licensing to conduct charitable gaming at a specific location has been received
26 by the office on or prior to August 15, 2008. However, locations which have not
27 been approved by the office prior to August 15, 2008, but for which an application
28 has been timely filed as provided by this Subparagraph, shall have received final
29 approval from the office and must be occupied by August 15, 2009, in order to
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1 operate electronic video bingo machines which are not in compliance with the
2 provisions of R.S. 4:724(B)(5).
3 (3) The office shall not issue any license or permit to any location or to
4 any distributor for use of electronic bingo machines after June 30, 2022.
5 * * *
6 L. If any location, where electronic or video bingo machines are validly
7 licensed or permitted on or before June 30, 2022, to operate is damaged or
8 destroyed due to an occurrence that is an act of God, natural disaster, force
9 majeure, catastrophic event, action by a governmental body, or a similar
10 occurrence over which the licensee or permittee has no reasonable control, the
11 office may allow electronic or video bingo machines to operate at the same
12 physical location.
13 M.(1) A location that has been licensed to conduct electronic video bingo
14 by the office on or before June 30, 2022, may be sold or transferred to a new
15 owner if the new owner is found suitable to hold a charitable gaming license by
16 the office pursuant to this Chapter.
17 (2) Electronic video bingo machines licensed by the office on or before
18 June 30, 2022, may be sold or transferred to a new owner if the new owner is
19 found suitable to hold a charitable gaming license by the office pursuant to this
20 Chapter.
21 Section 2. This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2023.
The original instrument was prepared by Michelle D. Ridge. The following
digest, which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was
prepared by Alan Miller.
DIGEST
SB 189 Reengrossed 2023 Regular Session Jackson
Present law provides for the operation of electronic video bingo machines, including a
prohibition that an electronic video bingo machine shall not contain entertainment display
features simulating slot reels or card games.
Proposed law provides that any license or permit that was issued to any location or to any
distributor for the use of electronic video bingo machines on or before June 30, 2022, is a
bona fide and valid license and permit under Louisiana law.
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Present law provides that a licensed distributor may operate electronic video bingo machines
which are not in compliance with present law under either of the following circumstances:
(1)The licensed distributor has purchased or entered into a lease agreement for the total
number of electronic video bingo machines to be operated at a specific location on
or prior to August 15, 2008.
(2)The licensed distributor has delivered to the office of charitable gaming (office) or
sent by certified mail an application and fees to have machines permitted which has
been received and not approved on or prior to August 15, 2008, and the application
includes either a proof of purchase or a nonrefundable deposit.
Proposed law repeals present law.
Present law provides that electronic video bingo machines authorized by present law may
only be placed at the following two locations:
(1)A location approved by the office on or prior to August 15, 2008.
(2)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
of charitable gaming on or prior to August 15, 2008, and which has received final
approval from the office and was occupied by August 15, 2009.
Proposed law repeals present law.
Proposed law prohibits the office from issuing any license or permit to any location or to any
distributor for use of electronic video bingo machines after June 30, 2022.
Proposed law provides that if any location, where electronic or video bingo machines are
validly licensed or permitted on or before June 30, 2022, to operate is damaged or destroyed
due to an occurrence that is an act of God, natural disaster, force majeure, catastrophic event,
action by a governmental body, or a similiar occurrence over which the licensee or permittee
has no reasonable control, the office may allow electronic or video bingo machines to
operate at the same physical location.
Proposed law allows for the transfer of a location license and a electronic video bingo
machines license.
Effective July 1, 2023.
(Amends R.S. 4:724(J); adds R.S. 4:724(L) and (M))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Judiciary B to the
original bill
1. Provides for the validity of licenses for location and electronic video bingo
machines issued before June 30, 2022.
2. Removes provisions relative to licensed distributors and the operation of
electronic video machines that were not in compliance and provides for
licensing requirements of distributors.
3. Removes references to deadline dates for submission of applications for
licensure and approval of applications.
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4. Provides that if the legislature amends law to add new licenses, the office of
charitable gaming shall not issue a license or permit after June 30, 2022, that
would allow any electronic video bingo machine to be placed within one mile
of certain places and provides for exceptions to the one-mile radius.
5. Defines residential property.
6. Provides that if a location, where electronic video bingo machines are validly
licensed or permitted to operate is damaged or destroyed due to certain
events, the office may allow such machines to operate at the same physical
location.
7. Provides for the transfer of a location license and electronic video bingo
machines license.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Senate Floor Amendments to engrossed bill
1. Clarifies that the validity of licenses for location and electronic video bingo
machines issued on or before June 30, 2022 remains, rather than just before
June 30, 2022.
2. Removed all provisions relative to obtaining permits or licenses for locations
or distributors of electronic video bingo machines.
3. Adds provision prohibiting the office from issuing any license or permit to
any location or to any distributor for use of electronic video bingo machines
after June 30, 2022.
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