An Act To Enhance Fund-raising Opportunities by Certain Nonprofit and Fraternal Organizations
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0831
Committee Amendment CA_A_H389 (House)
Amends: 17 MRSA §332-A

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 567, L.D. 831, Bill, "An Act To 
Enhance Fund-raising Opportunities by Certain Nonprofit and Fraternal Organizations" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Enhance Fnnd-raising Opportnnities by Certain Nonprofit 
Organizations' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following; 
'Sec. 1. 17 MRSA §332-A is enacted to read: 
§332-A. License exceptions for games of chance 
Notwithstanding section 331, subsection 1, organizations that are eligible for a 
license to conduct games of chance may conduct games of chance without a license in 
accordance with this section. 
1. Organizations eligible. An organization, other than an agricultural fair society, 
that raises less than $15,000 in gross revenue in a calendar year from the operation of 
games of chance is eligible to conduct games of chance without a license. 
If an 
organization exceeds $15,000 in gross revenue in a calendar year, the organization must 
submit an application as described in section 333 and any information and fees otherwise 
required for an application for licensure under this chapter. An organization that raised 
more than $15,000 in revenue during the previous calendar year from the operation of 
licensed games of chance is not eligible to conduct games without a license in accordance 
with this section. 
2. Limits. An organization that conducts a game of chance without a license in 
accordance with this section may not collect more than $10,000 in gross revenue from 
anyone event at which games of chance are conducted. If an organization exceeds 
$10,000 in gross revenue at anyone event, the organization must submit an application as 
described in section 333 and any information and fees otherwise required for an 
application for licensure under this chapter. An organization that exceeds $10,000 in 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITIEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 567, L.D. 831 
gross revenue at anyone event is not eligible to conduct games of chance without a 
license as provided by this section within one calendar year of the event at which the 
revenue limit was exceeded. 
3. Registration required. In order to conduct games of chance without a license in 
accordance with this section, an organization must register with the Chief of the State 
Police. Registrations made in accordance with this section are valid for one year. The 
registration must include the following: 
A. The name and tax identification number of the organization and the charitable 
purpose for which the games are being conducted; 
B. 
The names of the members of the organization who will be responsible for 
overseeing the operation of the games of chance; 
C. 
The date, time and location of the event at which games of chance will be 
conducted; 
D. The number and types of games to be conducted; 
E. An oath and acknowledgement by the applicant that the information contained in 
the registration is true and accurate; and 
F. A registration fee of$30. 
4. . Licensed printers and distributors. 
Equipment used to conduct games of 
chance in accordance with this section must be provided by printers and distributors 
licensed as required by this chapter. 
S. Other provisions applicable. An organization that conducts games of chance in 
accordance with this section is subject to applicable provisions of section 332, 
subsections 2, 3, 3-A and 4 and sections 334, 335, 340, 341, 345 and 346. 
6. Revenue and disposition of funds report. An organization that conducts games 
of chance in accordance with this chapter shall file a disposition of funds form prescribed 
and furnished by the Chief of the State Police reporting the total revenue from games of 
chance conducted within 12 calendar months of the date when the first game conducted 
without a license took place and the amount of revenue spent to support the charitable 
_purposes for which the games were conducted. Every statement in the report must be 
made under oath byal1 officer of theUorganization or by the member in charge of the· 
conduct of the games. 
7. Violation. If an organization that has registered to conduct games of chance is 
found to have violated any provision of this section, the net revenue from any games of 
chance conducted is forfeited to the Chief of the State Police. If an organization is found 
to have violated any provision of this section, the bureau is prohibited from accepting a 
registration as provided by this section from that organization or a person listed on the 
registration for that organization for a period of 10 years. 
8. Repeal. This section is repealed January 1, 2012. 
Sec. 2. Report. The Chief of the State Police shall report no later than January 1, 
2011 to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over legal 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT '4" to H.P. 567, L.D. 831 
affairs regarding the use of the registration privilege provided by the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 17, section 332-A including any recommended changes to the law. 
Sec. 3. Chief of the State Police to implement within existing budgeted 
resources. 
The Chief of the State Police shall implement this Act within existing 
budgeted resources.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill. It creates an exception to the requirement that 
organizations be licensed in order to conduct games of chance. An organization that is 
otherwise eligible for a license and will not raise more than $15,000 in a calendar year 
from the conduct of games of chance and not more than $10,000 at anyone event may 
conduct games by registering with the Chief of the State Police and is not required to get 
a license. 
If an organization exceeds the yearly or per-event revenue limit, that 
organization is required to apply for a license retroactively. Any organization that raised 
more than $15,000 from licensed games of chance in the previous year is not eligible to 
register. Some requirements that apply to licensees would apply to registrants, including 
wager limits, age restrictions on those who conduct or play the games, prohibitions 
against schemes and the requirement to use licensed gaming printers and distributors. 
Other requirements regarding revenue and expenditure reporting and disposition of funds 
reports are also applicable to registrants. 
A registrant who violates the registration 
requirements is required to forfeit the revenue from those games conducted in violation 
and would be prohibited from using the registration privilege for 10 years. 
FISCAL XOTE REQC1RED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: OS/25/09 
~ae 
LD831 
LR 1503(02) 
An Act To Enhance Fund-ransing Opportunities by Certain Nonprofit and Fraternal Organizations 
Revenue 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment;4" 
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
FiscaDNote 
. 2009-10 
2010-11 
Projections 
2011-12 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
($128,700) 
($171,600) 
($171,600) 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Projections 
2012-13 
($171,600) 
Allowing certain organizations to hold games of chance without a license will result in a reduction in Other Special 
Revenue Funds revenue of$128,700 in fiscal year 2009-10 and $171,600 beginning in fiscal year 2010-1l. This 
reduction assumes that many organizations will not meet the threshold of needing a license, resulting in a 20% 
decrease in games of chance revenues. 
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LR1503(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1