An Act To Allow Campgrounds To Obtain Licenses To Operate Beano or Bingo Games
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0446
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: COLLINS, LUCHINI, CHENETTE, CUSHING, CYRWAY, DIAMOND, WOODSOME, HANINGTON, HOGAN, STANLEY
Amends: 17 MRSA §315

Legislative Document
No. 446
S.P. 148
In Senate, February 7, 2017
An Act To Allow Campgrounds To Obtain Licenses To Operate 
Beano or Bingo Games
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator COLLINS of York.
Cosponsored by Representative LUCHINI of Ellsworth and
Senators: CHENETTE of York, CUSHING of Penobscot, CYRWAY of Kennebec, 
DIAMOND of Cumberland, WOODSOME of York, Representatives: HANINGTON of 
Lincoln, HOGAN of Old Orchard Beach, STANLEY of Medway.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  17 MRSA §315, as repealed and replaced by PL 2011, c. 339, §1, is 
amended to read: 
§315.  Seasonal licenses 
Notwithstanding sections 314 and 319, the Chief of the State Police may issue up to 
a seasonal licenses license to operate beano or bingo games in a calendar year, 
including those designed to attract players under 16 years of age, in bona fide resort 
hotels or licensed campgrounds as long as the conditions prescribed by this section are 
met.  For the purposes of this section, "resort hotel" means a full-service hotel facility that 
offers leisure or recreational activities such as golf, tennis, water sports or horseback 
riding.  For the purposes of this section, "licensed campground" means a campground 
licensed pursuant to Title 22, section 2492. 
1.  Operated on-site.  The beano or bingo games must be operated and conducted in 
those resort hotels or licensed campgrounds by the management without profit and solely 
for the entertainment of registered guests or patrons of that resort hotel or licensed 
campground. 
2.  Player fee prohibited.  A licensee under this section may not charge an entry fee 
or any fee to participate in a beano or bingo game. 
3.  Minors.  Prizes awarded for the play of beano or bingo under this section must be 
nonmonetary and valued at less than $10 and may be awarded to a single player no more 
than once every 24 hours.  Notwithstanding section 319, a person under 16 years of age 
may be admitted to the playing area without an adult and may participate in the game as 
long as the game is not conducted in a room or area where alcoholic beverages are 
served.  Beano or bingo games under this section may not be conducted with any other 
gambling activity, including games of chance under chapter 62.  For purposes of this 
subsection, "nonmonetary prize" includes a credit for food served on the premises of the 
resort hotel or licensed campground. 
The annual fee for a license issued pursuant to this section is $10 may not exceed 
$100 and must be paid to the Treasurer of State to be credited to the General Fund.  A 
hotel or liquor license of a resort hotel licensee or the license of a licensed campground 
may not be withheld because of the conducting by the resort hotel or licensed 
campground of beano or bingo games. The Chief of the State Police shall adopt routine 
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A as necessary to 
implement the fee provisions of this section. 
Nothing in this section permits the operation or conduct of beano or bingo games 
without a license. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends current law concerning the licensing of beano and bingo games in 
resort hotels.  The bill adds campgrounds to the licensing provisions, removes the 
restriction on the number of seasonal licenses that may be issued and changes the license 
fee from $10 to up to $100.