§707. Authorization to license certain organizations; exemption; requirement for state
license
A. The office may, consistent with the provisions of this Chapter, license charitable
organizations, as defined in R.S. 4:703(1), to hold and operate the following specific games
of chance:
(1) The game of chance commonly known as raffle or raffles played by drawing for
prizes or the allotment of prizes by chance, by the selling of shares, tickets, or rights to
participate in such game or games, and by conducting the game or games accordingly.
(2) The game of chance commonly known as bingo or keno played for prizes with
cards bearing numbers or other designations, five or more in one line, the holder covering
numbers, as objects, similarly numbered, are drawn from a receptacle, and the game being
won by the person who first covers a previously designated arrangement of numbers on such
a card.
(3) The game of chance commonly known as pull-tabs played for prizes with cards
or tickets and as defined in R.S. 4:725 or played as electronic pull-tabs as provided in R.S.
4:733.
(4) Electronic video bingo as provided for in R.S. 4:724 and as defined by rules of
the office.
(5) Fund-raising events generally known as "Las Vegas Nights" or "Casino Nights"
as provided for in R.S. 4:729 and as defined by rules of the office.
B. In addition to the licensing required in Subsection A of this Section, the governing
authority of any municipality or parish may, consistent with the provisions of this Chapter,
license charitable organizations as defined in R.S. 4:703(1) to hold and operate the following
specific games of chance:
(1) The game of chance commonly known as raffle or raffles played by drawing for
prizes or the allotment of prizes by chance, by the selling of shares, tickets, or rights to
participate in such game or games, and by conducting the game or games accordingly.
(2) The game of chance commonly known as bingo or keno played for prizes with
cards bearing numbers or other designations, five or more in one line, the holder covering
numbers, as objects, similarly numbered, are drawn from a receptacle, and the game being
won by the person who first covers a previously designated arrangement of numbers on such
a card.
(3) The game of chance commonly known as pull-tabs played for prizes with cards
or tickets, as defined in R.S. 4:725, or played as electronic pull-tabs as provided in R.S.
4:733.
(4) Electronic video bingo as provided for in R.S. 4:724 and as defined by rules of
the office.
(5) Fund-raising events generally known as "Las Vegas Nights" or "Casino Nights"
as provided for in R.S. 4:729 as defined by rules of the office.
C. Any such organization so licensed may sell shares, tickets, or rights to participate
in such games and may conduct the games accordingly when the entire net proceeds of such
games of chance are to be devoted to educational, charitable, patriotic, religious, or public
spirited uses, and when so licensed, may hold, operate, and conduct such games of chance
exclusively by its members pursuant to this Chapter, except to the extent that the services of
members of other bona fide licensed organizations as enumerated in this Section are
volunteered by their organization for the sole purpose of selling shares, tickets, or rights in
such games. Any such organization so licensed may sell shares, tickets, or rights to
participate in such game or games of chance pursuant to rules and regulations for the
supervision and conduct thereof, as prescribed by the office and, when applicable, by the
governing authority of the municipality or parish not inconsistent with the provisions of this
Chapter. Further, any person or persons may participate in and play such games of chance
conducted under any license.
D.(1) In addition to the authority granted in Subsection A of this Section, the office
may license the following organizations, as defined in this Section, to hold and operate the
specific kind of game or games of chance enumerated in Subsection A of this Section
without the requirement that any such organization qualify with the Internal Revenue Service
for an exemption from federal income tax as specified by R.S. 4:703(1): Mardi Gras carnival
organizations, civic or service associations, qualified associations of licensed charitable
organizations, volunteer fire companies, booster clubs, parent-teacher associations, private
nonprofit elementary or secondary schools, public elementary or secondary schools, and
public institutions of higher education.
(2) In addition to the authority granted in Subsection B of this Section, the governing
authority of any parish or municipality may license the following organizations, as defined
in this Section, to hold and operate the specific kind of game or games of chance enumerated
in Subsection B of this Section without the requirement that any such organization qualify
with the Internal Revenue Service for an exemption from federal income tax as specified by
R.S. 4:703(1): Mardi Gras carnival organizations, civic or service associations, qualified
associations of licensed charitable organizations, volunteer fire companies, booster clubs,
parent-teacher associations, private nonprofit elementary or secondary schools, public
elementary or secondary schools, and public institutions of higher education.
E. In addition to the provisions of R.S. 4:703, the following definitions shall apply
for the purposes of this Section:
(1) "Booster club" shall mean an organization which promotes and supports the
activities, functions, or programs of a public or a private nonprofit elementary or secondary
school in this state and which has been designated by the school board of the parish or city
in which such school is located to collect funds in the name of that school.
(2) "Civic or service association" shall mean an organization domiciled in this state
which is operated for the purpose of promoting the social welfare or providing service to the
community and which has derived five thousand dollars or less in gross receipts from its
charitable games of chance during the prior calendar year.
(3) "Coastal conservation association" shall mean a member-based organization
domiciled in this state operated for the purpose of promoting marine wildlife and habitat
conservation and whose mission is to promote and enhance the present and future availability
of coastal resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the general public.
(4) "Mardi Gras carnival organization" shall mean an organization domiciled in this
state which presents pre-Lenten festivities, including street parades, and which has received
a permit to parade from a municipal or parish governing authority.
(5) "Parent-teacher association" shall mean an organization which is comprised of
teachers and parents of children enrolled in a public or a private nonprofit elementary or
secondary school in this state and which has been designated by the school board of the
parish or city in which such school is located to collect funds in the name of that school.
(6) "Private nonprofit elementary or secondary school" includes every nonprofit
private elementary or secondary school within the state of Louisiana.
(7) "Public elementary or secondary school" includes every public elementary or
secondary school within the state of Louisiana.
(8) "Public institution of higher education" includes every in-state public graduate
and undergraduate institution, public junior and community college, public technical
institute, and each separate school or department of the institution, college, or institute when
the entire net proceeds are devoted to support the institution.
(9) "Volunteer fire company" shall mean an organization which has been engaged
by the governing authority of a parish, municipality, or fire protection district to provide fire
protection services to the area of this state under its jurisdiction and which is comprised
predominantly of individuals who provide such services voluntarily and without
compensation.
F.(1)(a) A bona fide senior citizen recreation club, upon application to the
municipality or parish, shall be exempt from the licensing and reporting procedure
enumerated in R.S. 4:708 through 716 in a municipality or parish whose governing authority
has decided to permit raffles, bingo, and keno within its limits as provided in R.S. 4:706.
(b) A "senior citizen recreation club" for the purpose of this Chapter shall be defined
as an organization which is sanctioned by the local council on aging and composed of a
group of persons sixty years of age or older whose only function is to provide amusement and
diversion for its members.
(2)(a) Any club, organization, group, or association which has a membership
comprised exclusively of children enrolled in a public or private nonprofit elementary or
secondary school in this state and which is approved to conduct activities in such school by
the principal of such school in accordance with school board policy shall be exempt from the
licensing and reporting procedures enumerated in R.S. 4:708 through 716 in a municipality
or parish whose governing authority has decided to permit raffles, bingo, and keno within its
limits as provided in R.S. 4:706. Such club, organization, group, or association shall be
exempted from licensing and reporting procedures only for the conducting of raffles as a
means of fundraising.
(b) A private nonprofit elementary or secondary school and any public elementary
or secondary school in this state shall be exempt from the licensing and reporting procedures
enumerated in R.S. 4:708 through 716 in any municipality or parish whose governing
authority has decided to permit raffles, bingo, and keno within its limits as provided in R.S.
4:706. Such private nonprofit school or public school shall be exempted from licensing or
reporting procedures only for the conducting of raffles as a means of fundraising.
(3)(a) A charitable organization, upon application to the municipality or parish, shall
be exempt from the licensing and reporting requirements provided in R.S. 4:708 through 716
for the purpose of conducting a raffle as defined in Paragraph (A)(1) of this Section in any
municipality or parish the governing authority of which has decided to permit raffles, bingo,
and keno within its limits as provided in R.S. 4:706, provided the municipality or parish
finds, upon such application, that the charitable organization is conducting such raffle for the
purpose of providing support to any elementary or secondary school in the municipality or
parish or for other purposes of community support.
(b) A public institution of higher education licensed pursuant to this Section shall
be exempt from the licensing and reporting requirements provided in R.S. 4:708 through 716
in any municipality or parish the governing authority of which has decided to permit raffles,
bingo, and keno within its limits and may sell shares, tickets, or rights to participate in the
authorized game known as raffle and may conduct the game of raffle when the entire net
proceeds of the games of chance are devoted to supporting the institution.
(4) Any bona fide conservation organization, which is recognized by the Internal
Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) corporation, dedicated principally to the conservation of a
specific species, genus, or family of game animal or game fish, including but not limited to
the conservation of ducks, waterfowl generally, quail, and turkeys or saltwater and freshwater
fish such as speckled trout, redfish, flounder, large mouth bass, and crappie, which is
otherwise permitted by law to conduct charitable gaming shall be exempted from the
licensing and reporting procedures enumerated in R.S. 4:708 through 716 solely for
conducting raffles as a means of fundraising in a municipality or parish whose governing
authority has decided to permit raffles, bingo, and keno within its limits as provided in R.S.
4:706.
G. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter to the contrary, no municipal
or parish governing authority shall license any organization as authorized in this Chapter
unless that organization has first obtained a charitable gaming license from the office, as
further provided in R.S. 4:705.
H.(1) No person or organization shall hold, operate, or conduct any game of chance
enumerated in Subsection A of this Section without obtaining a charitable gaming license
or a special charitable gaming license from the office, as further provided in R.S. 4:718.
(2) Organizations closely connected to one another shall not hold, operate, or
conduct any game of chance enumerated in Subsection A of this Section under a single state
charitable gaming license. Each organization shall be required to obtain a separate license
from the office in order to conduct such games. Any otherwise eligible organization shall
be deemed to be closely connected when any one of the following conditions are met:
(a) Membership in one organization automatically qualifies an individual as a
member of another organization.
(b) Membership in one organization is dependent upon membership in another
organization, including social membership.
(c) The existence of an organization is dependent upon the existence of another
organization.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, a chartered
auxiliary group associated with a nonprofit, licensed organization shall not be required to
obtain a separate license in order to assist in the holding, operating, or conducting of any
game of chance being operated by the parent organization. The parent organization shall
notify the office of charitable gaming annually of the names of members who will assist in
the gaming operations. Nothing in this Paragraph shall prohibit a qualified chartered
auxiliary group from receiving its own gaming license.
(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, a coastal
conservation association as defined in Subsection E of this Section shall be exempt from the
provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection strictly for the purposes of conducting the
game of chance commonly known as raffle or raffles as defined in Paragraph (A)(1) of this
Section.
I. Nothing in this Chapter shall prohibit a charitable organization from contributing
to a qualified association of licensed charitable organizations as defined by R.S. 4:703(10).
Such an association shall not be subject to audit by the office except as otherwise provided
by law.
J. The governing authority of a municipality or parish may, by ordinance, transfer
regulatory authority over charitable gaming in that municipality or parish to the office of
charitable gaming.