Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1360-03-03-.15 - MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF BINGO EVENTS

(1) An authorized annual bingo event shall be managed, conducted, and operated only by directors, officers, volunteers, or employees of the charitable organization hosting the event. No person shall receive any compensation for working at an annual event conducting bingo.

(2) In accordance with T.C.A. § 3-17-103(a)(5), no outside parties shall be employed, contracted with, or otherwise utilized to conduct annual bingo gaming events. Charitable organizations are prohibited from using any management company, consultant or other entity to manage, conduct, or operate any aspect of an annual bingo gaming event.

(3) A qualified organization shall conduct only bingo games listed on a game program for that event, and that program must be disseminated prior to the beginning of the event. The program shall list all prize amounts.

(4) The charitable organization shall designate a game manager who is an officer or director of the organization. The game manager shall be the person responsible for the operation of the bingo game during a particular session and shall be present at all times when the bingo game is conducted.

(5) Bingo cards and monies must be kept under the control of the game manager until disseminated to game participants. Each card constitutes a ticket, share or chance as defined by these rules. The cards must be numbered, and the total number of cards must match the number of tickets, shares or chances in the organization's gaming event application filed with the Secretary of State. Regular bingo cards and special bingo cards should be numbered separately. The cards must also be marked with the name of the organization conducting the gaming event and date of that event. The organization must create a record of the total type and amount of each card present at the beginning and end of the bingo gaming event. Records related to the accounting of bingo cards must be kept by the charitable organization for a period of five (5) years from the annual gaming event.

(6) Individuals defined in T.C.A. § 3-17-109(a)(1)-(5) are not allowed to purchase bingo cards, participate in bingo games, nor win prizes. Additionally, any member of the immediate family (as defined in T.C.A. § 3-17-109(c)) of any person described in T.C.A. § 3-17-109(a)(1)-(2) or of any volunteer may not purchase bingo cards, participate in bingo games, or win prizes.

Notes

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1360-03-03-.15

Emergency rules filed August 5, 2021; effective through February 1, 2022. Emergency rules expired effective February 2, 2022, and the rules reverted to their previous statuses. New rules filed December 27, 2021; effective March 27, 2022. Amendments filed January 8, 2024; effective 4/7/2024.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 3-17-103(a), 3-17-106(b)(4) and (c)(4), 3-17-115(a), and 3-17-115(c).