CHARITABLE GAMING

The Office of Charitable Gaming (OCG) at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services promotes the integrity of charitable gaming activities in the Commonwealth. OCG issues permits to organizations wishing to conduct charitable gaming; registers bingo callers, bingo managers, and charitable gaming suppliers; provides training and technical assistance to organizations and individuals involved in charitable gaming; conducts audits of charitable gaming organizations and suppliers to ensure compliance with financial reporting requirements, applicable laws and regulations, and use-of-proceeds requirements; conducts on-site inspections; investigates violations of gaming laws and regulations; and pursues regulatory action or prosecution of violators.

Last Updated: November 10, 2011

PROPOSED CHARITABLE GAMING REGULATIONS

The Office of Charitable Gaming invites you to review and provide us with your comments on a proposed charitable gaming regulation.  Please see the Notice to Stakeholders Regarding Proposed CG Regulations (pdf) for information on submitting comments during the public comment period which runs from November 7, 2011 through January 6, 2012.  You may view the proposed regulation on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall or by clicking here (pdf). 

RECOGNIZED TESTING LABORATORIES

Section 18.2‐340.19 of the Code of Virginia requires the Charitable Gaming Board to promulgate regulations governing all aspects of charitable gaming, including the electronic and mechanical equipment used in the conduct of gaming.

The Supplier Regulations, 11 Va. Admin. Code 15-31, provide, in part, that the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) shall set manufacturing and testing criteria for all electronic bingo devices and other equipment used in the conduct of charitable gaming.  

11 Va. Admin. Code 15-31-20(K) specifically provides that no electronic bingo device may be sold, leased or used in the conduct of charitable gaming until an identical device containing identical software has been evaluated and approved by a testing laboratory that has been formally recognized by VDACS to uphold established standards of integrity.

Effective September 13, 2011, VDACS recognizes the following three laboratories as authorized to conduct the requisite equipment evaluation and approval described above.

REMINDER REGARDING FINANCIAL REPORTS

Please see the Financial Reporting section for more information regarding organizations’ financial reporting requirements.