LRB-4739/1
RLR:lmk&jld:rs
2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE
February 28, 2006 - Introduced by Representatives Gunderson, Musser, Bies,
Freese
and Vos, cosponsored by Senators Lazich, Zien and Plale. Referred
to Committee on State Affairs.
AB1081,1,5 1An Act to repeal 563.51 (3) and 563.53 (4); to renumber and amend 563.51
2(9) and 563.51 (23); to amend 563.135 (1) (intro.), (a), (b) and (c), 563.51 (4),
3563.51 (10) (b), 563.51 (16), 563.51 (21), 563.52 (5) and 563.53 (3); and to create
4563.03 (12c), 563.135 (1) (e), 563.51 (9) (c), 563.51 (23) (b) and 563.54 of the
5statutes; relating to: charitable bingo.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Bingo Prizes
Under current law, religious, charitable, service, fraternal, and veterans'
organizations and organizations to which contributions are deductible for federal
income tax purposes may operate bingo games upon obtaining a state bingo license.
The maximum allowable monetary prize for any single bingo game is $250, and the
maximum allowable monetary prize for a bingo occasion (a session at which a series
of successive games is played) is $1,000. The prize for a bingo game must be
determined and awarded on the same day the game is played. Additionally, the prize
for a bingo game may not be based on the number of calls made before a player wins.
This bill increases the maximum allowable prize for a single bingo game to $500, and
the maximum allowable prize for a bingo occasion to $2,500. The bill also allows
organizations that have a bingo license to conduct progressive jackpot bingo. In
progressive jackpot bingo, the prize is carried over to a succeeding game if no player
wins in a specified number of calls, and a player must cover all the squares on his or

her bingo card to win. Under the bill, the specified number of calls must be at least
48 in the first game, and one additional call must be added in each succeeding game
until someone wins. The starting prize must be either a specified amount that does
not exceed $500 or 50 percent of the card sales for the first game. The prize for each
succeeding game must be 50 percent of the card sales for the game plus the prize
amount from the preceding game. If no player wins a progressive jackpot bingo game
within the specified number of calls, play must continue until a player has covered
all the squares on his or her card and that person must be awarded a consolation
prize not to exceed $100. Once started, progressive jackpot bingo must be conducted
at each bingo occasion until the progressive jackpot is awarded, except that
progressive jackpot bingo may be played only once per day.
Types of bingo games
Currently, the Department of Administration (DOA) offers two types of licenses
to conduct bingo: a regular license and a limited period license. An organization with
a regular license may conduct "regular" bingo games. Regular bingo games must be
played on reusable cards (hard cards). For an admission fee not to exceed $1, a player
receives a hard card that he or she may use to play all regular bingo games conducted
at a bingo occasion. For a fee not to exceed $1 per card, a person may rent extra hard
cards, each good for all regular bingo games conducted at the bingo occasion. Current
law does not limit the number of regular bingo occasions that a regular bingo licensee
may conduct in a year.
An organization with a regular license may also conduct up to three games of
"special" bingo at each regular bingo occasion. Special bingo is played on disposable
(paper) cards. The maximum price for each special bingo card is 25 cents per card
per game. A player must pay for a regular bingo card to play a special bingo game
offered during a regular bingo occasion.
DOA issues limited period licenses for organizations to conduct bingo for up to
four days a year at short-term events such as fairs, festivals, carnivals, or bazaars.
An organization may not charge admission for limited period bingo, but may charge
up to 50 cents per card per game. Either paper or hard cards may be used to play
limited period bingo, and current law does not limit the number of games that may
be played with paper cards during a limited period bingo occasion.
This bill eliminates the prohibition against playing more than three special
bingo games at a regular bingo occasion and eliminates the requirement that a
player must pay for a regular bingo card to play special bingo at a regular bingo
occasion. The bill also provides that the maximum fee for any type of bingo is $1 per
card per game.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB1081, s. 1
1Section 1. 563.03 (12c) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1081,3,42 563.03 (12c) "Progressive jackpot bingo" means a series of bingo games in
3which the prize is carried over to the succeeding game if no player wins a game within
4a specified number of calls.
AB1081, s. 2 5Section 2. 563.135 (1) (intro.), (a), (b) and (c) of the statutes are amended to
6read:
AB1081,3,107 563.135 (1) An application for a license to conduct bingo for an organization
8listed under s. 563.11 (1) (b) to (d) shall be accompanied by a $5 license fee and a
9sworn statement by the owner or operator of the organization that all of the following
10rules shall apply to bingo conducted by the organization
:
AB1081,3,1411 (a) Only residents, guests of residents, and employees of the community-based
12residential facility or adult family home, or members, patrons, guests of members,
13and patrons and employees of the senior citizen community center, will may play
14bingo;.
AB1081,3,1515 (b) Bingo will may be played only as a recreational or social activity;.
AB1081,3,1616 (c) No admission fee will may be charged to play bingo; and.
AB1081, s. 3 17Section 3. 563.135 (1) (e) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1081,3,1818 563.135 (1) (e) Progressive jackpot bingo may not be played.
AB1081, s. 4 19Section 4. 563.51 (3) of the statutes is repealed.
AB1081, s. 5 20Section 5. 563.51 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1081,3,2221 563.51 (4) Sufficient space to play. Purchase of a regular bingo card shall
22entitle each player to a place with sufficient room in which to play.
AB1081, s. 6 23Section 6. 563.51 (9) of the statutes is renumbered 563.51 (9) (a) and amended
24to read:
AB1081,4,3
1563.51 (9) (a) No Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c), no prize in a
2single bingo game shall exceed $250. The $500 and the aggregate value of prizes at
3any bingo occasion may not exceed $1,000 except $2,500.
AB1081,4,5 4(b) The aggregate value of prizes at a bingo occasion may exceed $2,500 by the
5amount resulting from the awarding of minimum prizes under sub. (27).
AB1081, s. 7 6Section 7. 563.51 (9) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1081,4,77 563.51 (9) (c) The limits under par. (a) do not apply to progressive jackpot bingo.
AB1081, s. 8 8Section 8. 563.51 (10) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1081,4,129 563.51 (10) (b) No bonus or additional prizes shall be awarded on the basis of
10either a specific arrangement of the numbers or the type of card required to win a
11game. No Except as provided for progressive jackpot bingo under s. 563.54, no prize
12shall be determined on the basis of a specified number of calls.
AB1081, s. 9 13Section 9. 563.51 (16) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1081,4,1714 563.51 (16) Winners and prizes; same day. Each Except as provided for
15progressive jackpot bingo under s. 563.54, each
bingo winner shall be determined
16and every prize shall be awarded and delivered on the same day on which the bingo
17occasion is conducted.
AB1081, s. 10 18Section 10. 563.51 (21) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1081,5,219 563.51 (21) Price of bingo cards. Regular bingo cards, extra regular cards and
20special bingo cards shall each be assigned a specific price, and the price shall remain
21the same during a bingo occasion. At any time during a bingo occasion, a regular or
22extra regular
card may be changed at no additional cost. Cards shall be sold or rented
23only on the premises at which bingo is being conducted. A price list shall be posted
24where the regular bingo cards are distributed, setting forth the price of each type of

1card. Only the posted price may be charged. The regular bingo cards and the extra
2regular cards shall be readily distinguishable from each other.
AB1081, s. 11 3Section 11. 563.51 (23) of the statutes is renumbered 563.51 (23) (a) and
4amended to read:
AB1081,5,95 563.51 (23) (a) The Except as provided in par. (b), the particular arrangement
6of numbers required to be covered in order to win and the amount of the prize for each
7game shall be clearly described and audibly announced to the players immediately
8before each game. The Except as provided in par. (b), the amount of the prize for each
9bingo game also shall be posted where the regular bingo cards are distributed.
AB1081, s. 12 10Section 12. 563.51 (23) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1081,5,1511 563.51 (23) (b) If the amount of the prize in a progressive jackpot bingo game
12under s. 563.54 is determined, at least in part, on the basis of card sales, the method
13for determining the amount of the prize must be clearly described, audibly
14announced, and posted as provided under par (a), but the amount of the prize need
15not be announced or posted.
AB1081, s. 13 16Section 13. 563.52 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1081,5,1817 563.52 (5) A fee of not more than 50 cents $1 per game may be charged for a
18single card to participate in limited period bingo.
AB1081, s. 14 19Section 14. 563.53 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1081,5,2120 563.53 (3) A fee of not more than 25 cents $1 may be charged for each special
21bingo card.
AB1081, s. 15 22Section 15. 563.53 (4) of the statutes is repealed.
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