# Criminal Law (GCR)

## Title 13. Gaming -- Local Provisions

### Subtitle 21. St. Mary's County

#### Section 13-2101

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b) "County commissioners" means the County Commissioners of St. Mary's County.

(c) "Designee" means a person designated by the county commissioners to administer the issuance of bingo licenses or gaming permits in the county.

(d)

  (1) "Gaming device" means a mechanism for playing a game of chance.

  (2) "Gaming device" includes a paddle wheel, wheel of fortune, chance book, bingo, Nevada card, and a stamp machine.

  (3) "Gaming device" does not include a slot machine, as defined in Sec. 12-301 of this article.

(e) "Gaming event" means a carnival, bazaar, or raffle.

(f) "Qualified organization" means:

  (1) a volunteer fire company; or

  (2) a bona fide:

    (i) religious organization;

    (ii) fraternal organization;

    (iii) civic organization;

    (iv) war veterans' organization; or

    (v) charitable organization.

(g) "Sheriff" means the Sheriff of St. Mary's County.

#### Section 13-2102

(a) This subtitle applies only in St. Mary's County.

(b) Subtitle 2 of this title applies in St. Mary's County.

#### Section 13-2103

(a) A qualified organization must have a bingo license whenever the qualified organization conducts bingo.

(b) The county commissioners may adopt regulations, in consultation with the designee under Sec. 13-2105 of this subtitle, to administer and enforce bingo activities in the county.

#### Section 13-2104

To be eligible for a bingo license, an organization must be:

(1) a bona fide religious group that has conducted religious services at a fixed location in the county for at least 3 years before the application date;

(2) a volunteer fire company or volunteer rescue squad, regardless of whether the company or squad is supported by tax revenues, or an auxiliary unit whose members are associated directly with the company or squad;

(3) a nationally chartered veterans' organization, or an auxiliary unit whose members are associated directly with the organization; or

(4) a nonprofit organization that:

  (i) has operated in the county for at least 3 years before the application date; and

  (ii) intends to raise money for an exclusively charitable, athletic, or educational purpose specifically described in the application.

#### Section 13-2105

(a) The county commissioners shall designate a person to administer the issuance of bingo licenses in the county.

(b) An organization shall submit an application for a bingo license to the designee.

(c) A principal officer of the organization shall certify in the application for a bingo license:

  (1) the name and address of the organization;

  (2) the name and address of the officer seeking the license for the organization;

  (3) that the officer is authorized by the organization to file the application;

  (4) the time and place of bingo;

  (5) that, within 15 days after the last day named in the application for the license to conduct bingo, a principal officer of the organization will file under penalties of perjury the report required by Sec. 13-2109 of this subtitle;

  (6) that bingo will be conducted solely and personally by the regular members of the organization, without the assistance of gaming professionals; and

  (7) that no compensation or reward will be paid to a person for conducting or assisting in conducting bingo.

#### Section 13-2106

(a) By resolution, the county commissioners may establish a bingo license fee schedule based on criteria that the county commissioners consider appropriate.

(b) The designee shall charge for each license the annual license fee that the county commissioners set by resolution.

(c) A resolution adopted under subsection (a) of this section shall specify the fund in which the license fees are to be deposited.

#### Section 13-2107

The designee shall issue a numbered license to an organization that meets the requirements of Sec.Sec. 13-2103 through 13-2110 of this subtitle to conduct bingo and award prizes.

#### Section 13-2108

A license issued under this subtitle is valid for 1 year.

#### Section 13-2109

Within 15 days after the last day authorized for bingo in the license, a principal officer of the organization shall file a report under penalties of perjury that certifies:

(1) that the regular members of the organization personally conducted bingo at the time and place stated in the application without the assistance of gaming professionals;

(2) the disposition of the cash proceeds of the bingo; and

(3) that the organization did not pay a premises rental fee to:

  (i) itself;

  (ii) its trustees;

  (iii) a committee of the organization; or

  (iv) any organization whose members are the same, or substantially the same, as the licensed organization.

#### Section 13-2110

An organization is disqualified from obtaining a license under this subtitle for 1 year if the organization fails to:

(1) file the report required under Sec. 13-2109 of this subtitle; or

(2) comply with Sec.Sec. 13-2103 through 13-2110 of this subtitle.

#### Section 13-2111

(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, a qualified organization must hold a gaming permit whenever the qualified organization operates a gaming device in accordance with this subtitle.

(b) A qualified organization may hold a gaming event and may operate a gaming device if an individual or group of individuals does not:

  (1) benefit financially from the operation of the gaming device; or

  (2) receive from the operation of the gaming device any proceeds for personal use or benefit.

(c) The county commissioners may adopt regulations, in consultation with the designee under subsection (d) of this section, to administer and enforce the gaming device permit required under this section in the county.

(d) The county commissioners shall designate a person to administer the issuance of gaming permits under this section in the county.

#### Section 13-2112

Members of the qualified organization shall personally manage the operation of the gaming device.

#### Section 13-2113

If a qualified organization uses a gaming device on a daily basis:

(1) the qualified organization may not operate more than five gaming devices; and

(2) the premises in which the qualified organization operates the gaming device may not contain more than five gaming devices.

#### Section 13-2114

(a) All proceeds from a gaming device shall be used solely for the legitimate charitable, benevolent, or tax-exempt purposes of the qualified organization.

(b) Proceeds from the operation of a gaming device may not be used to benefit personally any member of the qualified organization.

#### Section 13-2115

(a) A qualified organization shall keep accurate records of proceeds and expenditures involving gaming devices.

(b) On request, a qualified organization shall allow the State's Attorney for the county, a State Police officer, the designee, and the sheriff or deputy sheriff to examine the records required under subsection (a) of this section.

#### Section 13-2116

(a) In this section, "senior activity center" means a community or neighborhood facility in which a broad spectrum of services are organized and provided to senior citizens and their spouses, including health, social, nutritional, educational, and recreational services.

(b) A senior activity center may conduct a gaming event, bunco game, or card game in the center.

(c) A senior activity center may not:

  (1) award a prize of money exceeding $50 to a winner in each session; or

  (2) charge a participant more than $25 to play one session.

(d) Any money that remains after prizes are awarded shall be used to support future programming at the senior activity center.

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Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)