<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gcr" article_name="Criminal Law" number="13-606" title_number="13" title_name="Gaming -- Local Provisions" subtitle_number="6" subtitle_name="Baltimore County">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Before an organization may conduct bingo in the county, the organization shall obtain a bingo license from the Department of Permits and Development Management.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>An organization may conduct bingo to benefit charity in the county or to further its purposes if the organization is:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a tax-supported volunteer fire company or an auxiliary unit whose members are directly associated with a tax-supported volunteer fire company;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>a nationally chartered veterans’ organization or an auxiliary unit whose members are directly associated with a nationally chartered veterans’ organization;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>a bona fide religious group that has conducted religious services at a fixed location in the county for at least 3 years before applying for a bingo license;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the Maryland State Fair and Agricultural Society;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>a bona fide fraternal organization;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>a bona fide patriotic organization; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>a bona fide charitable organization that has been located at a fixed location in the county for 3 years before applying for a bingo license.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>An applicant for a bingo license shall apply for a license on the application form that the Department of Permits and Development Management provides.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The application shall include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the name of the applicant;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the name and address of each officer and director of the applicant;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a complete statement of the purposes of the applicant;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>a statement of the purpose for which the proceeds of the bingo operation will be used;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>an affidavit that an agreement does not exist to divide any part of the proceeds of the bingo operation with any other person that is made by:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the president;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the treasurer;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>the chief executive; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>a fiscal officer;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>an affidavit that only the applicant or a member of the applicant will receive any of the proceeds of the bingo operation except to further the purposes of the applicant organization; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>any other information the Department of Permits and Development Management requires.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>An annual bingo license issued by the Department of Permits and Development Management authorizes the license holder to conduct bingo at the fixed location stated on the license:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>at any time during the year for which the license is issued; but</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>not more often than twice each week in the year for which the license is issued.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>An applicant for an annual license shall pay the fee that the Department of Permits and Development Management sets.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A temporary license issued by the Department of Permits and Development Management authorizes the license holder to conduct bingo at the fixed location stated on the license for not more than 10 days in the year for which the license is issued.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>An applicant for a temporary license shall pay the fee that the administrative officer of the county sets.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A 1-day license issued by the Department of Permits and Development Management authorizes the license holder to conduct bingo at a fixed location stated on the license for not more than 1 day in the year for which the license is issued.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>An applicant for a 1-day license shall pay a fee that the administrative officer of the county sets.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The Department of Permits and Development Management may not grant an applicant more than three 1-day licenses in any calendar year.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Department of Permits and Development Management may require the holder of a bingo license to produce its financial records for inspection so that the Department may ensure that the license holder and the members of the license holder have complied with subsection (c)(2)(v) and (vi) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A person may not conduct bingo on Sunday.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The Department of Permits and Development Management shall deposit the fees paid for bingo licenses issued under this section in the county Widows’ Pension Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>After a public hearing, the Department of Permits and Development Management may revoke the license of a license holder that fails to comply with this section or the regulations that the Department adopts under this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>The Department of Permits and Development Management may adopt regulations to govern:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the conduct of bingo;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the amounts of the prizes that may be awarded in a game of bingo;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the method of awarding prizes;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the hours that bingo may be conducted; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>any other matters related to the proper conduct of bingo.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A person may not divert or pay any proceeds of bingo conducted under a bingo license to:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>any other person, except to a member of the license holder; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>any other partnership or corporation, except to further the purposes of the license holder.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A person who is not a member of a license holder may not receive any of the proceeds of bingo conducted under a bingo license except to further the purposes of the license holder.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A person may not violate a regulation that the Department of Permits and Development Management adopts under subsection (h) of this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 2 years or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
