An Act to Remove State Requirements for Nonprofits on Raffles and
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1086
Sponsors: ARDELL
Amends: 17 MRSA §1837-A, 17 MRSA §1837-B

Legislative Document
No. 1086
H.P. 708
House of Representatives, March 18, 2025
An Act to Remove State Requirements for Nonprofits on Raffles and 
Internet Raffles with Prizes of $2,500 or Less
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 14, 2025.  Referred to the Committee on 
Veterans and Legal Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint 
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative ARDELL of Monticello.
Cosponsored by Representative: NUTTING of Oakland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  17 MRSA §1837-A, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2021, c. 136, §8, is further 
amended to read:
2.  Raffle with a prize of $2,500 or less.  Except for raffles conducted by an eligible 
organization under subsection 7, a A person or organization is not required to register with 
the Gambling Control Unit to conduct a raffle in which the total value of the prize offered 
to the holder of the winning chance does not exceed $2,500.  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 $2,500.
Sec. 2.  17 MRSA §1837-A, sub-§7, as amended by PL 2021, c. 636, §2, is further 
amended to read:
7.  Internet raffles; restrictions.  An eligible organization described in section 1832, 
subsection 2 may conduct a raffle in which the total value of all prizes offered is greater 
than $2,500 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.  An eligible organization 
is not required to register with the Gambling Control Unit to conduct an Internet raffle in 
which the total value of the prize or prizes offered to the holder of the winning chance or 
to the holders of the winning chances does not exceed $2,500 pursuant to subsection 2.
Sec. 3.  17 MRSA §1837-B, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 136, §11, is amended 
to read:
1.  License and approval required.  A person may not operate an Internet raffle unless 
the person is licensed as an Internet raffle operator under subsection 2, the Internet raffle is 
conducted on behalf of an eligible organization registered under section 1837‑A, subsection 
7, each payment for a chance or ticket for the Internet raffle is made through an Internet 
raffle system approved under subsection 4 and the winning chance or chances are selected 
by an Internet raffle system approved under subsection 4.  This section does not apply to 
an eligible organization described in section 1832, subsection 2 that conducts an Internet 
raffle in which the total value of the prize or prizes offered to the holder of the winning 
chance or to the holders of the winning chances does not exceed $2,500 pursuant to section 
1837-A, subsection 2.
SUMMARY
This bill allows nonprofit organizations to conduct raffles and Internet raffles in which 
the prize or prizes does not exceed $2,500 without having to register with the Department 
of Public Safety, Gambling Control Unit.