§ 17 §314-A-2 — High-stakes beano

1.
Eligible organizations.
The Gambling Control Unit may issue a license to operate high-stakes beano or high-stakes bingo to a federally recognized Indian tribe upon receipt of an application submitted in a manner prescribed by the director.
1-A.
Sealed ticket game tickets.
The Gambling Control Unit may also accept a registration from a federally recognized Indian tribe licensed under this section to sell sealed ticket game tickets in accordance with section 324‑A. The licensee may operate a dispenser to sell sealed ticket game tickets. As used in this subsection, "dispenser" means a mechanical or electrical device or machine that, upon the insertion of money, credit or something of value, dispenses printed sealed ticket game tickets. The element of chance must be provided by the ticket itself, not by the dispenser. The Gambling Control Unit may adopt rules to facilitate the use of dispensers. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.
2.
Limit on prizes.
Notwithstanding section 317, there is no limit on the value of a single prize or total prizes awarded on any one occasion for high-stakes beano games operated under this section.
2-A.
Attendance prizes.
In conjunction with the operation of high-stakes beano, a federally recognized Indian tribe holding a license under this section may advertise and offer prizes for attendance with a value of up to $25,000 under the terms prescribed for raffles in section 1837‑A. A prize awarded under this subsection may be awarded only on the basis of a ticket of admission to the high-stakes beano game and may be awarded only to a person who holds an admission ticket.
3.
Twenty-seven weekends per year.
An organization licensed under this section may operate high-stakes beano games on 27 weekends per year, whether or not consecutive. For purposes of this section, a weekend consists of Saturday and the immediately following Sunday. A high-stakes beano game licensed under this section and canceled for any reason may be rescheduled at any time, as long as 5 days prior notice of the new date is given to the Gambling Control Unit.
3-A.
Exception.
Notwithstanding subsection 3, an organization licensed under this section may operate high-stakes beano or high-stakes bingo games on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
3-B.
Games up to 100 days per year.
An organization licensed under this section other than the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and the Mi'kmaq Nation may operate high-stakes beano games up to 100 days per year. A high-stakes beano game licensed under this section and canceled for any reason may be rescheduled at any time, as long as 5 days' prior notice of the new date is given to the Gambling Control Unit.
4.
Term of license; fees.
A license issued under this section is valid for a period of one year. The annual license fee for a high-stakes beano license is $5,000. License fees may be paid in advance in quarterly installments. All license fees must be paid to the Treasurer of State to be credited to the General Fund.
5.
Restrictions; penalty.
A licensee may not:
6.
Applicability of chapter.
Except when in direct conflict with this section or as specifically provided, all other provisions of this chapter and rules adopted under this chapter apply to licenses for high-stakes beano issued under this section. Any rule requiring operators calling the numbers to be seated on the same floor level as the players does not apply to high-stakes beano.
7.
Payment for services.
Except as provided in paragraph A, an organization licensed under this section may pay the persons operating the high-stakes beano games for the organization no more than 200% of the minimum wage as established by Title 26, chapter 7, subchapter III. The persons need not be members of an organization licensed under this section.
8.
Report.
A federally recognized Indian tribe licensed to conduct high-stakes beano under this section shall submit a quarterly report on the operation of high-stakes beano to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over legal affairs. The report must include information on the number of persons playing high-stakes beano during the preceding calendar quarter, the funds collected for high-stakes beano, the total amount awarded in prizes, including prizes for attendance and any other information provided to the Gambling Control Unit regarding the operation of high-stakes beano.
9.
Exception.

Legislative History

PL 1987, c. 197, §3 (NEW). PL 1987, c. 197, §7 (RP). PL 1987, c. 547, §§1, 2 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 679, §1 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 502, §§B63,B68 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 426, §§3-6 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 426, §§8-10 (AFF). PL 2001, c. 295, §1 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 452, §§I3-7 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 452, §X2 (AFF). PL 2007, c. 109, §1 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 347, §1 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 487, Pt. B, §§6, 7 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 505, §1 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 534, §1 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 410, §§1-3 (AMD). RR 2015, c. 1, §10 (COR). PL 2015, c. 24, §1 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 24, §2 (AFF). PL 2017, c. 233, §1 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. JJJJJ, §§9-13 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. KKKKK, §§2, 3 (AMD). PL 2023, c. 369, Pt. A, §4 (REV). PL 2023, c. 369, Pt. A, §5 (AFF). PL 2025, c. 424, §§2, 3 (AMD).