An Act to Increase the Amount of Money Allowed to Be Raised for a Charitable Purpose by Certain Raffles
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 0147
Committee Amendment CA_A_S53 (Senate)
Amends: 17 MRSA §1837-A, 17 MRSA §1839

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "Ii " to S.P. 76, L.D. 147, "An Act to Increase the 
Amount of Money Allowed to Be Raised for a Charitable Purpose by Certain Raffles" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding Certain Raffles Conducted by Eligible 
Organizations' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 2 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 2. 17 MRSA §1837-A, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2019, c. 129, §3, is further 
amended to read: 
3. Raffle with a noncash prize greater than $2,500 but not greater than $10,000. 
Except for raffles conducted by an eligible organization under subsection 4, a person or 
organization may conduct a raffle in which the total value of the prize offered to the holder 
of the winning chance is greater than $2,500 and does not exceed $10,000 upon the 
acceptance of a registration by the Gambling Control Unit. The Gambling Control Unit 
may not accept a registration for a raffle under this subsection unless the registration states 
a verifiable charitable purpose for which the proceeds of the raffle are dedicated to benefit. 
If the raffle is conducted in a manner in which there are multiple winning chances, the total 
value of all prizes offered may not exceed a value of $10,000. A prize offered for a raffle 
conducted under this subsection may not be in the form of cash and, notwithstanding 
subsection 8, may not be exchanged for cash. 
Sec. 3. 17 MRSA §1837-A, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2019, c. 129, §3, is further 
amended to read: 
4. Raffle with a noncash prize of up to $75,000 $150,000 or a cash prize of up to 
$20,000 $10,000 per holder of a winning chance conducted by eligible organization. 
An eligible organization as described in section 1832, subsection 2 may register with the 
Gambling Control Unit to conduct a raffle in which the total value of the prize or prizes 
awarded to the holder of a winning chance or to the holders of the winning chances does 
not 0*0000: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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coMMirrEE AMENDMENT" II ,, to s.r. 76, L.D. 147 Ls~S3) 
A. So'lenty five thousana aollars Exceed $150,000 that is not in the form of cash and~ 
notwithstanding subsection 8, may not be exchanged for cash; or 
B. T\venty thousand dollars in sash, with no Include more than one $10,000 cash prize 
for the each holder of a winning chance. 
At the time of registration, the eligible organization shall state a verifiable charitable 
purpose that the proceeds of the raffle are dedicated to benefit. 
Beginning December 1, 2024, the Gambling Control Unit shall adjust every 2 years the 
noncash prize dollar value based on the Consumer Price Index as reported by the United 
States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and rounded to the nearest amount 
divisible by $100. 
Sec. 4. 17 MRSA §1837-A, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 129, §3, is amended 
to read: 
6. Multiple raffles. An eligible organization as described in section 1832, subsection 
may conduct more than one raffle at a time that meet the requirements of subsections 
2-A, 3 and 4, e~wept that an eligible organization may not oonduot more t-han one registered 
raffle at the same time under suaseotion 4, paragraph A ana may not oonduot more than 
one registerea raffle at the same time under subseotion 4, paragraph B. This subseotion 
aoes not prevent an eligiale organization from oonauoting one registerea raffle unaer 
subseetion 4, paragraph A at the same time that the eligiale organization eonduets one 
registered raffle under subseotion 4, paragraph B. When an eligible organization conducts 
multiple raffles as permitted by this subsection, the eligible organization is not required to 
begin and end those raffles on the same dates. 
Sec. 5. 17 MRSA §1837-A, sub-§8 is enacted to read: 
8. Lottery ticket as noncash prize; total value. A lottery ticket offered as a prize in 
a raffle held in accordance with this section is considered a noncash prize and the total 
value of the lottery ticket is determined by the purchase price of the lottery ticket and not 
by the potential or actual value of the lottery ticket winnings. 
Sec. 6. 17 MRSA §1839, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. KKKKK, 
§27, is further amended to read: 
1. Records required. Each licensee or registrant shall keep a record of all financial 
transactions involving games operated under this chapter. +he Except for records kept by 
eligible organizations operating raffles under section 1837-A, the records must include an 
exact account of all gross revenue from the games, an itemization of all allowable expenses, 
including, but not limited to, the cost of prizes, printing, licenses and administration, and 
the disposition of all proceeds, including, but not limited to, all gifts, grants and payments 
to any person, firm, corporation, association or organization for any purpose whatsoever. 
All financial records involving games operated under this chapter must be separate and 
distinguishable from other records of the organization. Revenue from more than one game 
operated under this chapter may be entered into one account.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "fr "to S.P. 76, L.D. 147 { 5, 5 ~ 
SUMMARY 
This amendment makes the following changes to the bill. 
1. It further increases the amount of a noncash prize that can be offered by an eligible 
organization in a raffle from $75,000 to $150,000 and requires the Department of Public 
Safety, Gambling Control Unit to adjust every 2 years the noncash prize dollar value based 
on the Consumer Price Index as reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau 
of Labor Statistics and rounded to the nearest amount divisible by $100. 
2. Current law caps a cash prize offered by an eligible organization in a raffle at 
$20,000 with no more than one $10,000 cash prize per holder of a winning chance. The 
amendment keeps the cap per holder of a winning chance at $10,000 but allows for an 
unlimited number of cash prizes to be awarded. 
3. It allows an eligible organization to conduct more than one raffle at a time. 
4. It designates lottery tickets as noncash prizes and determines that the total value of 
the lottery ticket as a noncash prize is based on the purchase price of the lottery ticket and 
not the potential or actual value of the lottery ticket winnings. 
5. 
It removes the requirement that the records kept by eligible organizations 
conducting raffles include an exact account of all gross revenue from the games, an 
itemization of all allowable expenses, including, but not limited to, the cost of prizes, 
printing, licenses and administration, and the disposition of all proceeds, including, but not 
limited to, all gifts, grants and payments to any person, firm, corporation, association or 
organization for any purpose whatsoever. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/16/23 ::k?ac:.. 
LD 147 
LR 398(02) 
An Act to Increase the Amount of Money Allowed to Be Raised for a Charitable Purpose by Certain 
Raffles 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'tt' ( S---5~) 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Any additional costs to the Gambling Control Unit within the Department of Public Safety to implement the 
provisions of this bill are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR0398(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1