New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 9 - EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT › Subtitle T - New York State Gaming Commission › Chapter II - Division of Charitable Gaming › Subchapter E - BINGO CONDUCT OF GAMES, HEARINGS AND APPEALS › Part 4820 - General Conduct Of Bingo › Section 4820.57 - Bonus ball

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
(a)
(1) Bonus ball may be conducted during single
					 occasions, and during each occasion of multiple occasion bingo sessions known
					 as double headers and triple headers, as described in subdivision (b) of this
					 section, provided the licensed authorized organization adheres to all of the
					 provisions of this Chapter related to the determination of the bonus ball
					 number, the sale of opportunities to enroll in bonus ball, and the
					 establishment, awarding, or carrying-over of the bonus ball prize.
(2) The bonus ball number is determined for
					 each occasion by the bingo caller's drawing of a bingo ball from the
					 receptacle, the caller's announcement that the ball drawn is the bonus ball
					 number for that occasion only, the prominent posting of the bonus ball number
					 in an area of the bingo premises visible to the majority of players, and the
					 immediate return of that ball to the receptacle. The bonus ball number must be
					 determined, announced and prominently posted prior to the start of the first
					 bingo game in each occasion and remain posted throughout all bingo games during
					 such occasion.
(3) To be eligible
					 to participate in bonus ball, each player must pay a fee for that opportunity
					 prior to the start of the first bingo game in an occasion wherein bonus ball
					 will be played. To verify payment, the player shall be issued a bonus ball
					 receipt unique to that occasion, or some similar method of verifying payment
					 must be used, such as stamping the player's hand with ink, or indelibly marking
					 their bingo cards to reflect payment.
(4) The fee for a single opportunity to
					 participate in bonus ball, which cannot exceed $1, entitles each participating
					 player to compete in all bingo games conducted during an occasion that are
					 specified as bonus ball games in the authorized organization's application for
					 bingo license, and on the bingo program.
(5) All sales of opportunities to play bonus
					 ball must cease prior to the caller's announcement of the total amount
					 collected from the sale of opportunities to participate in bonus ball and the
					 amount of the bonus ball prize.
(6)
					 The total amount collected from the sale of opportunities to participate in
					 bonus ball and the amount of the bonus ball prize must be announced by the
					 caller at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the first bingo game
					 designated as a bonus ball game in each occasion.
(7) If a winner of a designated bonus ball
					 game is verified, a bonus ball prize consistent with paragraph (8) of this
					 subdivision shall be awarded to the winning player, and the caller shall
					 declare the bonus ball game closed for the remainder of that bingo
					 occasion.
(8) Each winner of a
					 bonus ball game shall be awarded a cash prize equal to a percentage of the
					 proceeds collected from the sale of opportunities to participate in bonus ball,
					 which cannot exceed 75 percent of the proceeds derived from such sales. The
					 remaining percentage of the proceeds from those sales, which cannot be less
					 than 25 percent, is retained by the licensed authorized organization as profit.
					 The percentage of sales used to calculate bonus ball prizes must be
					 consistently applied at all occasions, as specified in the licensed authorized
					 organization's application for bingo license, on the license, and on the bingo
					 program.
(9) If there is no winner
					 during a bingo occasion in which opportunities to play bonus ball are sold, the
					 bonus ball prize money is carried-over and added to the specified percentage of
					 the proceeds derived from the sale of bonus ball opportunities during each
					 subsequent bingo occasion, until a winner is determined and the bonus ball
					 prize is awarded ; provided, however, pursuant to General Municipal Law section
					 476(1)(11-b), no bonus ball prize can exceed the sum of $6,000. When a bonus
					 ball prize reaches $6,000, that prize must remain at $6,000 until a winner is
					 determined. All proceeds from the sale of opportunities collected after a bonus
					 ball prize has reached $6,000 shall be retained by the licensed authorized
					 organization as profit until the $6,000 bonus ball prize is awarded, at which
					 time the caller shall declare the bonus ball game closed for the remainder of
					 that bingo occasion.
(10) Although
					 the prizes awarded in bonus ball games comprise a predetermined percentage of
					 the proceeds collected from the sale of opportunities identical to the prizes
					 awarded in early bird bingo games conducted pursuant to section
					 4820.50 of this Part, early bird
					 and bonus ball are two distinctly separate bingo games. Authorized
					 organizations may be licensed to conduct two early bird games per occasion and
					 can also designate any or all of the regular and/or special bingo games
					 conducted during that occasion to be bonus ball games.
(11) Although the prizes awarded in Bonus
					 Ball games are comprised of a predetermined percentage of the proceeds
					 collected from the sale of opportunities identical to the prizes awarded in
					 early bird bingo games defined in section
					 4800.1(h) and
					 conducted pursuant to section
					 4820.50 of this Part, early bird
					 and bonus ball are two distinctly separate bingo games. Authorized
					 organizations may be licensed to conduct two early bird games per occasion and
					 can also designate any or all of the regular and/or special bingo games
					 conducted during that occasion to be bonus ball games.