Relates to the sale of raffle tickets and the advertisement of games of chance

1 Co-sponsor

• Patty Ritchie

Title of bill

An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to the sale of raffle tickets and the advertisement of games of chance

Purpose or general idea of bill

To provide that raffle sales made by internet or over the telephone are deemed to have been made within the premises of the organization selling the tickets for purposes of the geographical limitations of General Municipal Law 189 (13).

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1- amends paragraph 13 of section 189 of the General Municipal Law, which places geographical limitations on the sale of raffle tickets, to provide that sales made over the internet or telephone are deemed to have been made at the premises of the organization authorized to sell the tickets.

Section 2 - amends section 195-e of the General Municipal Law to update the media that can be used to promote raffles to include magazines and the internet.

Section 3 - provides that the act shall take effect immediately.

Justification

Raffle tickets are a vital component of fundraising for our volunteer fire departments, civic organizations, churches and other not-for-profit organizations. Section 13, relating to geographic limitations, was last amended in 1998, when the full impact that the internet now has on our lives could not have been imagined, and at a time when many of our rural communities had larger populations and more small businesses. Recently, fire companies and other not-for-profits have been receiving notifications that they are not permitted to sell their raffle tickets outside of their municipalities or county.

Today, people often prefer to make a call or contact an organization over the internet than to drive to the fire hall, and smaller communities simply do not have enough people or money within their communities to support the raffles. Several organizations have recently cancelled their raffles because they are concerned that they will not be able to sell enough tickets to even break even under current outdated rules. This bill does not remove restrictions against raffle tickets being sold on the ground in communities that have not passed legislation to allow raffles, or have not issued written permission to allow the organization to sell its tickets in their community, but does broaden the methods of sale to incorporate modern life.

With the loss of local raffles, which are often a decades-old tradition, communities face increased taxes to support their fire departments and the loss of contributions by other civic organizations. Without this legislation, our communities, and particularly our rural communities, will lose an important tradition that year after year have contributed to make improvements that enhance the lives of their residents.

Prior legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately .