Allows for licensed organizations to conduct raffles remotely and to advertise such raffles; removes maximum value limitations for prizes; allows remote raffles on Sundays; requires quarterly reporting of raffle results.

A5219

ASSEMBLY, No. 5219

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JUNE 4, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� MICHAEL INGANAMORT

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman McClellan and Assemblywoman Fantasia

SYNOPSIS

���� Allows for licensed organizations to conduct raffles
remotely and to advertise such raffles; removes maximum value limitations for
prizes; allows remote raffles on Sundays; requires quarterly reporting of
raffle results.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning the conduct of remote raffles, and amending
and supplementing P.L.1954, c.5
(C.5:8-50 et seq.)
.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 2 of P.L.1954,
c.5 (C.5:8-51) is amended to read as follows:

���� 2.��� a.���� It shall be
lawful for the governing body of any municipality, at any time after this act
shall become operative within such municipality and except when prohibited by
this act, to license bona fide organizations or associations of veterans of any
war in which the United States has been engaged, churches or religious
congregations and religious organizations, charitable, educational and
fraternal organizations, civic and service clubs, senior citizen associations
and clubs, officially recognized volunteer fire companies, and officially
recognized volunteer first aid or rescue squads, to hold and operate the
specific kind of game or games of chance commonly known as a raffle or raffles
played by drawing for prizes or the allotment of prizes by chance, by the
selling of shares or tickets or rights to participate in such game or games and
by conducting the game or 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 in the case of organizations or
associations of veterans, and senior citizen associations and clubs to the
support of these organizations, and for any such organization or association,
church, congregation, society, club, company or squad, when so licensed or
without any license when and as hereinafter prescribed, to hold, operate and
conduct such game of chance pursuant to this act and such license, in such
municipality and to sell shares or tickets or rights to participate in such game
or games of chance therein and in any other municipality which shall have
adopted this act and under such conditions and regulations for the supervision
and conduct thereof as shall be prescribed by rules and regulations duly
adopted from time to time by the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission,
hereinafter designated as the control commission, not inconsistent with the
provisions of this act, but only when the entire net proceeds thereof are
devoted to the uses aforesaid and for any person or persons to participate in
and play such games of chance conducted under any such license.

���� b.��� The control commission
may adopt regulations authorizing licensees to hold events known as:

���� "armchair races" at
which wagers are placed on the outcome of previously-filmed horse races and
wagerers do not know the results in advance, when the prize awarded consists of
merchandise or raffle tickets only, and not cash; and

���� "casino nights" at
which players use chips or script purchased from the licensee to wager in games
of chance known as blackjack, under/over, beat-the-dealer, chuck-a-luck, craps,
roulette, bingo or similar games approved by the commission, when the chips or
script are redeemable for merchandise or raffle tickets only, and not for cash.

���� The regulations shall
establish the frequency with which these events may be held, the rules of the
games, the specific type and value of prizes which may be offered, the
qualifications of the individuals conducting the games and other requirements
which the commission may deem pertinent.

���� c.���� No license shall be
required for the holding, operating or conducting of a raffle for a door prize
of merchandise of the total retail value of $200.00 or less, or a higher amount
as established by regulation of the control commission, for which no extra charge
is made at an assemblage, if the proceeds of such assemblage are devoted to the
uses described in this section.

����
d.��� The control
commission, in consultation with the Division of Gaming Enforcement in the
Department of Law and Public Safety, shall adopt regulations within 180 days of
the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending
before the Legislature as this bill), permitting the conduct, among persons
located in this State, of raffles remotely using the Internet in a manner
consistent with the provisions of P.L.1954, c.5 (C.5:8-50 et seq.) and to the
extent not inconsistent with the provisions of subparagraph B of paragraph 2 of
Section VII of Article IV of the New Jersey Constitution.� Such technology
shall comply with specifications prescribed by the commission and shall be
approved by the commission prior to use.� For the purpose of conducting raffles
pursuant to this subsection, the location of the active member or other person
approved by the control commission to hold, operate, or conduct the raffle
shall be deemed the licensed premises and the only location at which the raffle
is taking place.� The conduct of such raffles shall include the selling of
shares or tickets or rights to participate in such games.�

����
This subsection shall not
be applicable to raffles conducted pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2018, c.79
(C.5:8-51.6).

����
e.���� The control
commission shall adopt regulations within 180 days of the effective date of
P.L.��� , c.�� (pending before the Legislature as this bill), authorizing the Statewide
advertising of remote raffles conducted pursuant to subsection d. of this
section, notwithstanding the provisions of section 14 of P.L.1954, c.5
(C.5:8-63).

(cf: P.L.2015, c.80, s.1)

���� 2.��� Section 13 of P.L.1954,
c.5 (C.5:8-62) is amended to read as follows:

���� 13.�
[
No prize shall
be offered and given in cash except as authorized by regulation promulgated by
the control commission.

���� a.� The aggregate retail value
of all prizes to be offered and given by raffles held, operated and conducted
under any license issued under P.L.1954, c.5 (C.5:8-50 et seq.) in any calendar
year shall not exceed $500,000.00, but the limit so fixed shall not apply to
any raffle with respect to which all tickets, shares or rights to participate
are sold only to persons present, the winners determined, and the prizes
awarded, on the same occasion or if the prizes are wholly donated.

���� b.� Notwithstanding the
provisions of subsection a. of this section, the maximum prize that may be
offered and awarded in a golf hole-in-one contest shall not exceed $1,000,000.�
Any� prizes above $25,000 shall be offered and awarded only when the entire
amount is insured by a company licensed to conduct business in this State and
approved by the control commission.� The prize shall be paid as an annuity with
a payout over a maximum period of 20 years.� Ancillary prizes awarded shall
have an aggregate retail value no greater than that provided by subsection a.
of this section and shall also be subject to the provisions of subsection c. of
this section.

���� c.� No prize having a retail
value greater than that prescribed by regulation promulgated by the control
commission shall be awarded in any raffle conducted by a drawing, or for each
spin of the wheel or other allotment by chance.
]

����
There shall be no
limitation on the value of prizes awarded at a raffle conducted pursuant to
P.L.1954, c.5 (C.5:8-50 et seq.).

(cf: P.L.1996, c.36, s.1)

���� 3.��� (New section)� a.� Any
licensed organization lawfully conducting raffles remotely pursuant to
subsection d. of section 2 of P.L.1954, c.5 (C.5:8-51) may:

���� (1)� conduct multiple,
consecutive, or simultaneous raffles at their discretion;

���� (2)� conduct remote raffles on
Sunday, notwithstanding the provisions of section 9 of P.L.1954, c.5
(C.5:8-58); and

���� (3)� advertise such remote
raffles across the State, consistent with the rules and regulations adopted by
the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission.

���� b.��� The winner or winners of
any remote raffle conducted pursuant to subsection d. of section 2 of P.L.1954,
c.5 (C.5:8-51) shall be determined, and prizes awarded, within 365 days of the
first calendar day on which the right to participate in such raffle was offered
to members of the public, as shall be set forth in the terms of the raffle and
which shall be clearly and conspicuously displayed to prospective
participants.� The licensee shall post each winning raffle ticket number on
their respective websites, if such websites have been established, on the same
date as the announcement, which number shall be posted for one year or until
each winner claims the prize and submits any required documentation.

���� Notwithstanding the foregoing,
any prize which due to its nature must be claimed by a date certain, such as a
ticket to an event, which is not claimed within 72 hours of the event, shall be
forfeited and shall revert back to the organization for its own authorized use.

���� c.���� On a quarterly basis in
accordance with a schedule established by the control commission, an
organization conducting remote raffles pursuant to subsection d. of section 2
of P.L.1954, c.5 (C.5:8-51), shall furnish to the control commission a duly
verified statement showing: the amount of the gross receipts derived from each
raffle held, operated, or conducted in the preceding quarter, which shall
include receipts from the sale of shares, tickets, or rights in any manner
connected with participation in the raffle or the right to participate therein;
each item of expense incurred or paid, and each item of expenditure made or to
be made, and the name and address of each person to whom each such item has
been or is to be paid, with a detailed description of the merchandise purchased
or the services rendered therefor; the net proceeds derived from each such
raffle; the uses to which such net proceeds have been or are to be applied; and
a list of prizes offered or given, with the respective values thereof.� It
shall be the duty of each organization to maintain and keep such books and
records as may be necessary to substantiate the particulars of each such
report.

���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill directs the
Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission, in consultation with the Division
of Gaming Enforcement, to adopt regulations allowing for the conduct of remote
raffles within 180 days of the bill becoming law.

���� The bill also directs the
commission to adopt rules governing the advertising of remote raffles across
the State.

���� The bill removes all
limitations on the value of prizes which may be awarded in any raffle and
allows remote raffles to be conducted on Sundays, which is currently prohibited
under law.

���� The bill establishes a 365 day
time-period for winners to be drawn and prizes awarded for remote raffles.

���� Finally, the bill requires
that organizations conducting remote raffles report quarterly to the commission
on the results of any such raffles.