R.I. Government Agencies | Privacy Policy |
Phone: (401) 444-1147
FAX: (401) 444-1133
Email: cgu@risp.state.ri.us
Welcome to the Web Page of the Rhode Island State Police Charitable Gaming Unit. We are here to serve the citizens of Rhode Island and to protect their interests in any matter pertaining to gambling for charitable purpose. Rhode Island General Law gives authority to the Rhode Island State Police to regulate charitable gaming.
Section 11-19-1 Promotions of Lotteries states - "every person not authorized who shall, directly or indirectly, set up, put forth, carry on, promote or draw, publicly or privately, any lottery, chance, game or device of any nature or kind whatsoever, by whatsoever name the same may be called, for the purpose of exposing, setting for sale or disposing of any money, houses, lands, merchandise or articles of value, or shall sell or expose to sale lottery policies, purporting to be governed by the drawing of any public or private lottery, shall sign or endorse any book, document or paper whatsoever, for the purpose of enabling others to sell or expose to sale, lottery policies, shall be deemed guilty of a felony and shall be imprisoned not exceeding two (2) years or be fined not exceeding two thousand dollars ($2,000)."
Section 11-19-41 of Rhode Island General Law states "the division of the state police shall have the power and authority to license, regulate, supervise and exercise general control over the operation of bingo and permitted games of chance including, but not limited to, the conduct of such permitted games of chance, the distribution of prizes, and the use and licensing of equipment specifically designed to be utilized to conduct bingo and permitted games of chance, as well as the licensing of persons, firms, corporations in the business of the sale and rental of equipment concerning bingo and permitted games of chance. The Rhode Island State Police shall have the power and authority to investigate as to the direct or indirect ownership or control of any licenses and to revoke or suspend any license for just cause after hearing."
Enforcement of the charitable gaming statute provides citizens protection from fraud, and misrepresentation. The unit also assists citizens with the process of applying for authorization to hold charitable gaming activity and answers questions from the general public, the law enforcement community and local governments regarding same.
The Rhode Island General Assembly charged the Division of State Police with the regulatory enforcement of all charitable gaming except bingo in 1979. This included raffles, Las Vegas nights, poker nights, week club raffles and bazaars. This authority was transferred from the Rhode Island Lottery Commission. In 1982 a statewide grand jury was convened to investigate the many abuses of the bingo law that were taking place at the time. That investigation elicited a number of criminal indictments and a grand jury report making recommendations to the legislature to add bingo to the other games of chance that were regulated by the state police. In 1983 that legislation was passed. The reason for shifting regulatory authority to the State Police was that the lottery commission lacked the enforcement powers to properly supervise and regulate gaming activities. This new law in 1983 completed the transfer of regulatory authority for charitable gaming to the state police. In 1993, the General Assembly amended the charitable gaming statute by removing Las Vegas nights, including all Las Vegas type activity from the law, and leaving only raffles, bazaars, and bingo as charitable gaming activities for the citizens of Rhode Island.
There were approximately 1200 raffles authorized by the charitable gaming unit in the fiscal year ending July 1, 1998. Forty five (45) organizations were authorized to conduct weekly bingo; Eighty (80) organizations were authorized to conduct senior citizen or recreational bingo and Thirty four (34) organizations were authorized to conduct special bingo games. Financial reports submitted by these organizations showed gross receipts of over three million dollars for raffles and approximately twelve million dollars for bingo.
A game of chance is defined as any game wherein the element of chance predominates over the element of skill in the possibility of winning a prize, with pecuniary consideration being involved to participate. The elements of a game of chance are chance, a prize and consideration (or money) i.e. something put up.
The game must be conducted by a charitable organization. Only members of the organization can be involved in the control and management of the game. All proceeds, minus the expenses of the game, must be used for a charitable purpose. No one under the age of 18 is allowed to participate.
An application fee of five dollars ($5.00) is required with each application for raffles or bingo's. Please enclose a check in that amount made payable to Rhode Island State Police when you submit your application.
If your organization wishes to conduct a raffle, you may obtain the raffle application from your local police department or from this web page. After you complete the application, send it to the chief of police in the city or town where the drawing will be held (with the exception of Providence, where it must first be submitted to the Providence City Hall Licensing Department). The chief of police will conduct record checks on the applicants and sign the application indicating his approval or disapproval of your request. He will then forward your application to the Rhode Island State Police Charitable Gaming Unit. Your application will be reviewed here to see if it meets the criteria outlined in the general law. When the application is approved, a letter will be sent to the applicant and a copy of same will be sent to the chief of police in the city/town where the drawing will be held. You may sell the tickets anywhere, but you must hold the drawing in the location indicated on your application. A financial report will be included with the letter of approval. You must complete this report and return it to the charitable gaming unit within sixty (60) days after the drawing. No further authorizations will be approved until we receive your financial report.
If your organization wishes to conduct Bingo, you may obtain a bingo application from this web page or at any State Police barracks. Form SP-1 is to be filled out by an organization wishing to conduct a weekly or twice weekly bingo with prizes over four thousand, two hundred fifty dollars (4,250) per night. Form SP-4 is to be filled out by organizations conducting senior citizen or recreational bingo games where the prize limit is under four hundred dollars ($400) per night or by organizations wishing to conduct an annual or one - time bingo (such as at a church bazaar).
Please submit the completed bingo application with the five dollar application fee to the Rhode Island State Police Charitable Gaming Unit, 311 Danielson Pike, North Scituate, RI 02857. If your application meets the criteria outlined in the Rhode Island General Law, you will receive a letter of approval. Take the letter to your local authorities to receive the local license for conducting the game.
The following personnel are responsible for the charitable gaming activity:
Colonel Brendan P. Doherty - Superintendent
Lieutenant David Neill - Assistant Detective Commander
For your convenience this web page contains rules and regulations governing bingo, rules and regulations governing games of chance, lists of weekly bingo games, and applications for raffles and bingo. For assistance or for more information, you may call the Charitable Gaming Unit at 401-444-1147.
Bingo Applications |
Bingo Rules & Regulations |
Raffle Applications Raffle Rules & Regulations |
Raffle Rules and Regulations |
