An Act To Create a Small Nonprofit Raffle Operator License
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1980
Committee Amendment CA_A_S524 (Senate)
Amends: 17 MRSA §1831, 17 MRSA §1837-A, 17 MRSA §1837-C

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A- " to S.P. 711, L.D. 1980, "An Act To Create a 
Small Nonprofit Raffle Operator License" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Allow Internet Payment for Tickets and Chances for Raffles Held by 
Nonprofit Organizations and Other Eligible Organizations' 
Amend the bill by inserting after the title and before the enacting clause the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, eligible nonprofit organizations in the State rely on fund-raising to meet 
their charitable goals; and 
Whereas, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely restricted the ability of eligible 
nonprofit organizations to effectively raise funds, which has directly led to a reduction in 
charitable giving; and 
Whereas, allowing eligible nonprofit organizations to modernize their fund-raising 
process is needed and will increase charitable giving across the State, especially during the 
summer tourist season; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore,' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 17 MRSA §1831, sub-§7-B, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 136, §2, is amended 
to read: 
7-B. Internet raffle. "Internet raffle" means a raffle in which a person purchases a 
raffle chance or ticket through. and a winner or winning chances are determined by. a 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" /t "to S.P. 711, L.D. 1980 ( o- 5 2, L0 
mobile application or other digital platform that involves, at least in part, the use of the 
Internet. A raffle where a winner or winning chance is determined by drawing from a 
container is not an Internet raffle, even if some or all of the raffle chances or tickets are 
purchased through a digital platform. 
Sec. 2. 17 MRSA §1837-A, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 136, §10, is amended 
to read: 
7. Internet raffles; restrictions. An eligible organization described in section 1832, 
subsection 2 may conduct a raffle described in subsection 2-A or subsection 4 as an Internet 
raffle if the eligible organization registers with the Gambling Control Unit and the Internet 
raffle is operated in accordance with the requirements of this chapter by an Internet raffle 
operator identified on the registration form. Notwithstanding subsection 6, an eligible 
organization may not conduct more than one Internet raffle at the same time. The eligible 
organization and Internet raffle operator may not permit a person under 18 years of age to 
purchase a chance or ticket for an Internet raffle and may not advertise or market the 
Internet raffle in a manner that has a high likelihood of reaching persons under 18 years of 
age or that is specifically designed to appeal particularly to persons under 18 years of age. 
Sec. 3. 17 MRSA §1837-C is enacted to read: 
§1837-C. Raffle entry by payment management system 
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context indicates otherwise, the 
following terms have the following meanings. 
A. "Geolocation technology" means a computer program or data collection system that 
can be used to identify the geographic location of a person interacting with that 
computer program or data collection system through the Internet. 
B. 
"Payment management system" means a mobile application or other digital 
platform and the accompanying computer software used to accept payment for a raffle 
chance or ticket through the Internet. 
2. Use of payment management system. When conducting a raffle under section 
1837-A that is not an Internet raffle, an eligible organization may accept payment for a 
raffle chance or ticket from a payment management system if: 
A. The payment management system is approved by the director under subsection 3: 
B. The raffle chance or ticket is purchased by a person who is at least 18 years of age: 
and 
C. The raffle chance or ticket is purchased by a person who is physically located in the 
State or another state where the purchase of that raffle chance or ticket would be legal 
under the laws of that state. 
If the eligible organization determines that the purchase of a raffle chance or ticket is made 
in violation of paragraph B or C, the organization shall immediately refund the payment 
and void the raffle chance or ticket associated with the purchase. 
If the eligible organization conducts a raffle in which a winner receives a firearm, the 
transfer of that firearm to the winner must be processed through a holder of a federal license 
for a dealer in firearms who is not a dealer in destructive devices under 18 United States 
Code, Section 923(a)(3)(B). 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A "to S.P. 711, L.D. 1980 LS -S 2 L.\.) 
An eligible organization that fails to comply with this subsection commits a civil violation 
punishable by a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $5,000. 
3. Approval of payment management system. Upon request from an eligible 
organization, the director may approve a payment management system for use by the 
organization in conducting a raffle that is not an Internet raffle only if the director 
determines that the payment management system: 
A. Does not permit the extension of credit from the eligible organization to a person 
who purchases a raffle chance or ticket; 
B. Does not permit a person to initiate a transaction to purchase a raffle chance or 
ticket and finalize the transaction by providing payment by mail; 
C. Includes adequate measures to ensure that a person who purchases a raffle chance 
or ticket is at least 18 years of age; 
D. Includes geolocation technology to determine with a reasonable degree of certainty 
the state in which a person who purchases a raffle chance or ticket is physically located 
at the time the purchase is made and allows an eligible organization to prevent a person 
from purchasing a raffle chance or ticket while the person is physically located in a 
state where the purchase of that raffle chance or ticket would not be legal under the 
laws of that state; 
E. Provides for the immediate refund of any payment to purchase a raffle chance or 
ticket made by a person who the organization discovers is under 18 years of age at the 
time of purchase or was physically located in a state where the raffle being conducted 
is not legally permitted at the time of purchase: 
F. 
Includes adequate measures to protect the privacy and security of payment 
information submitted by persons who purchase raffle chances or tickets during the 
purchase process; and 
G. 
Enables the eligible organization to satisfy the record-keeping and reporting 
requirements in subsection 6 as well as any other requirements established by the 
Gambling Control Unit by rule. 
4. Payment. A payment management system approved by the director under this 
section may permit the use of a debit card • or other payment method that the eligible 
organization uses to accept membership dues from out-of-state members and may allow a 
member of the eligible organization to request that payment for a raffle chance or ticket be 
made using the member's funds already within the possession of the eligible organization. 
5. Guidance for raffle operators. Upon receipt of a request to approve a payment 
management system under subsection 3, the director shall provide the eligible organization 
with a guidance document including any information the director determines necessary to 
assist the eligible organization in complying with the requirements of this section. 
6. Record-keeping and reporting requirements. In addition to the record-keeping 
requirements under section 1839, an eligible organization that uses a payment management 
system to conduct a raffle shall: 
A. Retain for a period of 3 years an electronic copy of each receipt for the sale of a 
raffle chance or ticket sold using the payment management system; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" (-\--"to S.P. 711,L.D.1980 l S -SLY) 
B. Retain for a period of one year a physical copy of each raffle ticket stub generated 
by the sale of a chance or ticket for a raffle sold using the payment management system; 
C. Maintain raffle ticket stubs retained under paragraph A or B separately for each 
individual raffle; 
D. Provide receipts for raffle chances or tickets and raffle ticket stubs retained under 
this subsection to the Gambling Control Unit on request; and 
E. Submit an annual report to the Gambling Control Unit that includes the number of 
raffles conducted using a payment management system during the year covered by the 
report and the amount of gross receipts for each of those raffles. 
An eligible organization that fails to comply with this subsection commits a civil violation 
punishable by a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $5,000. 
Sec. 4. 
Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
PUBLIC SAFETY, DEPARTMENT OF 
Gambling Control Board Z002 
Initiative: Provides allocation for one Public Safety Inspector I position and associated All 
Other costs. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
Personal Services 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
Amend the bill by adding before the summary the following: 
2021-22 
0.000 
$0 
$0 
$0 
2022-23 
1.000 
$75,161 
$8,389 
$83,550 
'Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment strikes and replaces the bill and does the following. 
1. It establishes that an eligible organization may conduct a raffle that is not an Internet 
raffle by using a payment management system to accept the purchase of a raffle ticket or 
chance over the Internet. 
2. It establishes conditions for an eligible organization using a payment management 
system to accept the purchase of a raffle ticket or chance over the Internet. 
3. It establishes requirements for the approval of a payment management system by 
the Executive Director of the Gambling Control Unit within the Department of Public 
Safety. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/l- "to S.P. 711, L.D. 1980 Cs -5 z ~ 
4. It establishes that a payment management system approved by the executive director 
may permit the use of a debit card or other payment method that the eligible organization 
uses to accept membership dues from out-of-state members and may allow a member of 
the eligible organization to request that payment for a raffle ticket or chance be made using 
the member's funds already within the possession of the eligible organization. 
5. It requires the executive director to provide an eligible organization using a payment 
management system with a guidance document that summarizes any information the 
executive director determines necessary to assist the eligible organization in complying 
with the requirements regarding payment management systems. 
6. It establishes record-keeping and reporting requirements for an eligible organization 
that uses a payment management system to conduct a raffle. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/29/22 feae 
LD 1980 
LR2326(02) 
An Act To Create a Small Nonprofit Raffle Operator License 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment '}4' ( S- 57., l\ \ 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs 
) 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY2021-22 
FY2022-23 
$0 
$83,550 
Projections 
FY2023-24 
$85,805 
Projections 
FY2024-25 
$88,515 
The additional workload associated with the minimal number of new cases filed in the court system does not require 
additional funding at this time. The collection of additional fines may increase General Fund or other dedicated 
revenue by minor amounts. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This bill allows eligible organizations to use payment management systems to accept internet payments for raffle 
tickets or games of chance where the winner is chosen manually. The bill includes ongoing a:llocations to the 
Gambling Control Board within the Department of Public Safety of $83,550 for one Public Service Manager I position 
and associated costs to manage and ensure compliance with allowing online payment systems. Revenue from 
charitable gaming licenses and registrations will provide sufficient resources to fund the allocations. 
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LR2326(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1