NY Gen Mun L § 495-A (2021)
2021 New York Laws GMU - General Municipal Article 14-H - Local Option for Conduct of Bingo by Certain Organizations 495-A - Unlawful Bingo or Game.

§  495-a. Unlawful bingo or game. 1. For the purposes of this section, "bingo" or "game" shall mean and include  a  specific  game  or  chance, commonly  known  as  bingo  or lotto, in which prizes are awarded on the basis of designated numbers or symbols on a card conforming  to  numbers or  symbols selected at random, whether or not a person who participates as a  player  furnishes  something  of  value  for  the  opportunity  to participate.   2.   Any   person,  firm,  partnership,  association,  corporation  or organization holding, operating, or conducting bingo or a game is guilty of a misdemeanor, except when operating, holding or conducting:  (a) In accordance  with  a  valid  license  issued  pursuant  to  this article; or  (b) (i) Within a municipality that has authorized the conduct of bingo games by authorized organizations:  (A)  within  the  confines  of  a  home  for  purposes of amusement or recreation where (I) no player or other  person  furnishes  anything  of value for the opportunity to participate, and (II) the prizes awarded or to be awarded are nominal.  (B)   within   any  apartment,  condominium  or  cooperative  complex, retirement community, or other group  residential  complex  or  facility where (I) sponsored by the operator of or an association related to such complex, community or facility, (II) such games are conducted solely for the  purpose  of  amusement  and  recreation  of its residents, (III) no player or other person furnishes anything of value for  the  opportunity to  participate,  (IV)  the  value  of  the  prizes shall not exceed ten dollars for any one game or a total of one hundred fifty dollars in  any calendar  day, (V) such games are not conducted on more than one day per week and not more than thirty times during any calendar year,  and  (VI) no person other than an employee or volunteer of such complex, community or facility conducts or assists in conducting the game or games.  (C)  on  behalf  of  any  bona  fide  social, charitable, educational, recreational,  fraternal,  religious,  not-for-profit   or   age   group organization,  club  or  association solely for the purpose of amusement and recreation of its members or beneficiaries where (I)  no  player  or other  person  furnishes  anything  of  value  for  the  opportunity  to participate, (II) the value of the prizes shall not exceed  ten  dollars for any one game or a total of one hundred fifty dollars in any calendar day,  (III)  such  games are not conducted on more than one day per week and not more than thirty times during any calendar year, (IV) no  person other  than  a  bona  fide  active  member  of the organization, club or association participates in the conduct of the games, and (V) no  person is paid for conducting or assisting in the conduct of the game or games.  (D) as a hotel's, motel's, recreational or entertainment facility's or common carrier's social activity solely for the purpose of amusement and recreation  of its patrons where (I) no player or other person furnishes anything of value for the opportunity to participate, (II) the value  of the  prizes  shall not exceed ten dollars for any one game or a total of one hundred fifty dollars in any calendar day, (III) such games are  not conducted  on  more  than fifteen days during any calendar year, (IV) no person other than an  employee  or  volunteer  conducts  or  assists  in conducting  the  game  or  games,  and  (V)  the  game  or games are not conducted in the same room where alcoholic beverages are sold.  (ii) The control commission and the governing body of the municipality in which bingo games are conducted pursuant to this paragraph shall have the authority to regulate the conduct of such games. Any bingo  game  or games,  in  which  no  participant or other person furnishes anything of value for the opportunity to participate, which is operated in violation of this paragraph, a civil penalty of not more than one hundred  dollars  may be imposed for the first such violation, a civil penalty of not more than  one  hundred  fifty  dollars  may  be  imposed for the second such violation in a period of three years, and a civil penalty  of  not  more than two hundred dollars may be imposed for the third or subsequent such violation in a period of five years.   3.  The  provisions  of this section shall apply to all municipalities within this state, including those municipalities where this article  is inoperative.