N.Y. General Municipal Law 488 – Persons operating and conducting games; equipment; expenses; compensation
§ 488. Persons operating and conducting games; equipment; expenses; compensation. 1. No person shall hold, operate or conduct any game of bingo under any license issued under this article except a bona fide member of the authorized organization to which the license is issued, and no person shall assist in the holding, operating or conducting of any game of bingo under such license except such a bona fide member or a bona fide member of an organization or association which is an auxiliary to the licensee or a bona fide member of an organization or association of which such licensee is an auxiliary or a bona fide member of an organization or association which is affiliated with the licensee by being, with it, auxiliary to another organization or association and except bookkeepers or accountants as hereinafter provided. Provided, however, any person may assist the licensed organization in any activity related to the game of bingo which does not actually involve the holding, conducting, managing or operating of such game of bingo. No game of bingo shall be conducted with any equipment except such as shall be owned absolutely or leased by the authorized organization so licensed or used without payment of any compensation therefor by the licensee. Lease terms and conditions shall be subject to rules and regulations promulgated by the board. This article shall not be construed to authorize or permit an authorized organization to engage in the business of leasing bingo supplies or equipment. No items of expense shall be incurred or paid in connection with the conducting of any game of bingo pursuant to any license issued under this article, except those that are reasonable and are necessarily expended for bingo supplies and equipment, prizes, stated rental if any, bookkeeping or accounting services according to a schedule of compensation prescribed by the commission, janitorial services and utility supplies if any, and license fees, and the cost of bus transportation, if authorized by the control commission.
Terms Used In N.Y. General Municipal Law 488
- Authorized organization: shall mean and include any bona fide religious or charitable organization or bona fide educational, fraternal, civic or service organization or bona fide organization of veterans, volunteer firefighters, or volunteer ambulance workers, which by its charter, certificate of incorporation, constitution, or act of the legislature, shall have among its dominant purposes one or more of the lawful purposes as defined in this article, provided that each shall operate without profit to its members, and provided that each such organization has engaged in serving one or more of the lawful purposes as defined in this article for a period of one year immediately prior to applying for a license under this article. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 476
- commission: shall mean the New York state gaming commission created pursuant to section one hundred two of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 476
- game: shall mean and include a specific game of 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. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 476
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
2. Notwithstanding any provision of this article to the contrary, a person who is a bona fide member of an organization licensed to conduct the game of bingo and is also a bona fide member of one or more other organizations which are also licensed to conduct the game of bingo, and such organizations are not affiliates or auxiliaries of the others, shall be authorized to operate, conduct or assist in the operation or conduct of games of bingo held by any of such organizations licensed to conduct bingo.