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

(b) “County commissioners” means the Board of County Commissioners of St. Mary’s County.

(c) (1) “Gaming device” includes a paddle wheel, wheel of fortune, chance book, bingo, Nevada card, and a stamp machine.

(2) “Gaming device” does not include a slot machine, as defined in § 12-301 of this article.

(d) “Gaming event” means a carnival, bazaar, or raffle.

(e) “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.

(f) “Sheriff” means the Sheriff of St. Mary’s County.

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

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

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

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.

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

(b) 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 § 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.

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

(b) The sheriff 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.

2019 Maryland Code
Criminal Law
Title 13 - Gaming -- Local Provisions
Subtitle 21 - St. Mary's County
§ 13-2107. Bingo -- Right to license

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

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.

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 § 13-2109 of this subtitle; or

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

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.

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

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.

(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.

(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, and the sheriff or deputy sheriff to examine the records required under subsection (a) of this section.