820 KAR 1:046. Bingo rules of play

      Section 1. General Provisions. (1) All individuals involved in the conduct of bingo shall be trained in the proper conduct of the game and the control of funds.

      (2) The chairperson shall be in full charge of the licensed gaming occasion, supervise and direct all volunteers, and be responsible for assuring the proper receipt and recording of gaming funds.

      (3) Except for Braille cards intended for use by blind players, bingo paper or card minding devices shall not be reserved by the charitable organization for any player. Legally-blind players may use their own cards if the licensee does not make Braille cards available. In accordance with KRS 238.505(15), Braille cards shall not be considered gaming supplies and equipment and may be purchased from ordinary sources of supply.

      (4) More than one (1) charitable organization shall not conduct gaming at the same time and location as another charitable organization except for a licensed charity fundraising event.

      (5) If a bingo session is cancelled once it is commenced, an organization may refund a portion of the purchase price of the bingo paper or card-minding device. An organization shall not continue the session or award the prizes at a later date.

      (6) Each organization’s gaming supplies shall be maintained in a location separate from another organization’s gaming supplies. This location shall be locked and access shall be controlled. An extra set of bingo balls shall not be stored at the caller's stand but shall be stored with the other charitable gaming supplies.

      (7) A volunteer at a charitable gaming occasion at which bingo cards or faces are sold shall not purchase or play bingo cards or faces at that occasion unless the volunteer's duties are complete for the occasion. Once a volunteer starts playing bingo, that person shall not volunteer for the remainder of that gaming occasion.

      (8) If the charitable organization has house rules concerning its bingo session, the house rules shall:

      (a)1. Be posted in at least two (2) conspicuous locations at the gaming occasion and announced prior to the commencement of the gaming occasion; or

      2. Be listed on the program;

      (b) Not conflict with KRS Chapter 238 or 820 KAR Chapter 1;

      (c) Be followed; and

      (d) Include the organization's name and license number.

      (9) Every ball in the bingo machine or other selection device shall be displayed for verification at the commencement and at the completion of each bingo session.

      (10) Individual bingo paper sheets in a pack shall not be sold as individual bingo paper sheets.

      (11) The organization shall buy a complete set of paper and use that paper before starting another set.

      (12) A charitable organization shall not separate faces on one (1) paper sheet or any paper sheets in a pack prior to play.

      (13) The price for each type of bingo sheet, pack, or package shall be listed on the bingo program.

      (14) Bingo paper sheets, bingo paper packs, and bingo paper packages shall be used during the bingo session for which they were purchased. An organization shall not allow a player to carry over purchased, but unused, bingo paper sheets, bingo paper sheet packs, or bingo paper packages to a subsequent bingo session.

      (15) An organization shall not allow a player to play bingo paper that was not purchased at that session, except for Braille cards as provided in subsection (3) of this section.

      (16) The organization shall not duplicate or otherwise make copies of bingo paper.

      (17) If an organization sells the same paper packs or paper sheets for different prices, the packs or sheets shall be distinguishable by serial number.

      (18) An organization shall not sell bingo paper in a bundle.

      (19) If an organization sells bingo paper as a package, the package shall become a unique item with a certain price and the items in the package shall not be sold individually unless a separate serial number is used.

      (20) If an organization games in back to back sessions, it may pre-sell paper for the second session if a different set of paper is used with a different color or border and a different serial number. The money from the preselling of paper shall be deposited with the second session receipts and the sales recorded on the second session gaming occasion records. If the price for the presold paper is discounted, the organization shall list this discount on the gaming occasion program and use a third set of paper with a different serial number.

      (21) An organization shall perform an inventory and obtain permission from the department before destroying a bulk amount of gaming supplies. The gaming supplies shall be destroyed by burning in compliance with state and federal law, shredding, destroying, or defacing in some manner to prevent reuse of any pulltab, flare, prize board, seal card, bingo paper, or any portion thereof. An organization may also donate gaming supplies to the department for demonstration and training purposes if the department so requests.

      (22)(a) When an organization ceases to game, the organization shall:

      1. Perform a final inventory; and

      2.a. Return all unused product to a distributor;

      b. Donate the product to another organization with the permission of the department or, if another organization does not want the gaming supplies, they may be donated to the department, upon request, for training and demonstration purposes; or

      c. Destroy the product with the permission of the department.

      (b) Abandoned gaming supplies shall be seized by the department and destroyed or kept for demonstration and training purposes.

 

      Section 2. Playing. (1) All players shall be physically present at the location where the bingo game is held in order to play the game or claim a prize offered.

      (2) The bingo session shall start when the balls are verified. The balls shall be verified before the pickle jar, bonanza ball, or hot ball is selected and called.

      (3) Before selecting or calling the first number in a game, the bingo caller shall call out the amount of the game prize to be awarded.

      (4) Before selecting and calling the first number in a game, the bingo caller shall announce the pattern or arrangement of squares to be covered to win the game. This information shall also be listed in the bingo program.

      (5) After selecting each number, the bingo caller shall:

      (a) Clearly announce the number;

      (b) Display the ball or other device used in a manner allowing the players to see the number, except displaying the ball shall not be required during a speed game;

      (c) Cause the ball or other device to be placed in a ball tray or other device so as to prevent it from being placed back into the selection pool; and

      (d) Enter each letter and number called on a flashboard or similar device for player viewing.

      (6) A winner shall be determined when the preannounced pattern of squares is covered by a player on a card.

      (7) It shall be the player’s responsibility to notify a volunteer including the chairperson or caller that the player has a winning bingo combination as announced.

 

      Section 3. Pickle Jar, Bonanza Ball, or Hot Ball. If the organization gives an additional prize if a patron wins on a certain number, the rules of play, including how it is awarded at the maximum payout, and cost to enter shall be listed on the bingo program. These numbers may be selected and posted before the first game is called.

 

      Section 4. Break Open Bingo. (1) A break-open bingo game shall begin when, in the presence of players attending the bingo occasion, the organization calls and posts, either manually or by use of a flashboard, a predetermined quantity of randomly selected bingo numbers from a selection device or a separate bingo number container. If a flashboard is used, these numbers shall be posted on a separate board than the regular bingo board unless the regular board is capable of keeping track of these numbers separately. The balls shall then be placed back into the selection pool until the game is played on the program.

      (2) Sealed bingo paper sheets for a break open game may be sold throughout the bingo occasion. Additional bingo paper sheets for a break open game shall not be sold after the organization resumes calling letters and numbers when the game is played on the program.

      (3) An organization may allow players to trade break open bingo faces for new faces.

      (4) If the charitable organization allows players to trade break open bingo faces for new faces, two (2) sets of the game faces shall be maintained. One (1) set shall be known as the "original set" and shall be of a different serial number than the second set, known as the "trade in" set.

      (5) An organization shall list on the bingo program the price of the original set and the trade-in set.

 

      Section 5. Player Pick. If the charitable organization offers a Player Pick game, the requirements in this section shall apply. (1) A player shall select numbers between one (1) and seventy-five (75). A player shall not select more than five (5) numbers for each column. The player may allow the machine to select the numbers.

      (2) Duplicate numbers shall not be played on a purchased face. If duplicate numbers appear on a face, the card shall be void.

      (3) Once selected, the machine shall print a face with the selected numbers.

      (4) The faces shall conform to the construction and randomization standards set forth in 820 KAR 1:042.

      (5) The price of each face and the amount of numbers that will be chosen shall be listed on the bingo program.

      (6) The numbers shall be daubed as the balls are called when the game is played as listed on the bingo program.

      (7) A player shall win if he or she is the first person to cover the numbers.

 

      Section 6. Continuation Games. (1) Multiple patterns may be played on one (1) bingo face. Each portion of the continuation game shall be considered a single bingo game, even though the bingo balls shall not be returned to the selection pool after a winner has been determined and verified.

      (2) Each winning pattern shall be verified independently.

 

      Section 7. Progressive Bingo Games. (1)(a) Progressive games or prizes connected to a bingo game or conditioned on winning a bingo game shall be permitted only if prizes awarded on progressive games are included in the prize limit established in KRS 238.545(1), regardless of the method by which a player is eligible to participate.

      (b) The licensed charitable organization shall be responsible for ensuring that the value of any progressive bingo game prize, when added to the values of the other prizes of the same date or occasion, does not exceed the $5,000 limit.

      (c) All receipts on progressive bingo games shall be reported to the department as gross receipts for the date collected pursuant to KRS 238.550.

      (2) Once a progressive bingo game has been started, the game shall be played in the same manner at every occasion until the prize is awarded. The jackpot prize shall be offered at each successive bingo occasion for that charitable organization until the jackpot prize has been won.

 

      Section 8. Winner Verification and Registration. (1) A manufacturer of bingo paper shall make available for purchase a verification book or other verification system for all paper manufactured.

      (2) The charitable organization conducting a bingo game shall use a reliable verification system that corresponds with the set of paper in play.

      (3) When a player declares a winning bingo, the steps established in this subsection shall be followed for winner verification.

      (a) The game shall be stopped before the next number is called. If the next number has been selected, it shall be secured to ensure that if the declared "bingo" is invalid, the game will continue.

      (b)1. If an electronic verifier or verifier book is used, a volunteer for the charitable organization shall:

      a. Show the winning face to a neutral player, who shall be a player other than the winner; and

      b. Call back the perm number while in front of the neutral player.

      2. If any other verification system is used, a volunteer for the charitable organization shall:

      a. Show the winning face to a neutral player, who shall be a player other than the winner; and

      b. Call back the winning combination while in front of the neutral player.

      (4) The caller shall ask at least twice if there are any other winners before announcing the close of the game. If playing a continuation game, the caller shall ask at least twice if there are any other winners before the close of that part of the game.

      (5) If more than one (1) winner is declared in a bingo game, prizes shall be awarded as established in this subsection.

      (a) Cash prizes shall be divided equally among the verified winners.

      (b) If the prize is something other than cash and cannot be divided among winners, prizes of equal proportionate value shall be awarded.

 

      Section 9. Prizes. (1) If a merchandise prize or discount is available to everyone, it shall be considered a promotional item and counted as an expense.

      (2) If a merchandise prize or discount is not available to everyone, it shall be included in the prize limit established in KRS 238.545(1) at its fair market value. It shall be included in expenses for purchased prizes at actual cost. If the merchandise prize is a gaming supply, it shall be included in supplies expense at actual cost.

      (3) The fair market value of bingo paper, a card-minding device, electronic pulltab device, or paper pulltabs awarded as a merchandise prize shall be the price that a patron would have paid for the same bingo paper, card-minding device, electronic pulltab device, or paper pulltab at that gaming occasion.

      (4)(a) If bingo paper is awarded as a door prize or a bingo game prize, the patron shall be given a voucher.

      (b) The voucher shall be completed with:

      1. The name, address, and phone number of the patron redeeming the voucher;

      2. The date on which it was awarded;

      3. The date on which it was redeemed;

      4. The amount of paper given in exchange for the voucher; and

      5. The serial number of the bingo paper.

      (c) Once the voucher is completed, it shall be redeemed for the bingo paper.

      (d) The organization shall retain the voucher with its session records.

      (5) If bingo paper is awarded as a promotional item, the description of the paper shall be listed on the program with "free" or "promotional" listed as the price. If the organization also sells that type of paper, a separate set of paper with a separate serial number shall be used.

      (6)(a) If a card-minding device or electronic pulltab device is awarded as a door prize or a bingo game prize, the patron shall be given a voucher.

      (b) The voucher shall be completed with:

      1. The name, address, and phone number of the patron redeeming the voucher;

      2. The date on which it was awarded;

      3. The date on which it was redeemed; and

      4. The number of card-minding devices and the number of faces loaded on each device, or the number of electronic pulltab devices and credits loaded on each device, if any, given in exchange for the voucher.

      (c) Once the voucher is completed, it shall be redeemed for the card-minding device or electronic pulltab device. No more than one (1) card-minding device or one (1) electronic pulltab device may be redeemed per player per session.

      (d) The organization shall retain the voucher with its session records.

      (e) There shall be a specific button on the point of sale programmed for each type of voucher and package involving a card-minding device or electronic pulltab device.

      (7) If a card-minding device is awarded as a promotional item, the description of the promotional package shall be listed on the program with "free" or "promotional" listed as the price. The point of sale shall have a specifically described discount button for this promotion.

      (8) If an organization offers coupons for bingo paper or a card-minding device, a voucher shall be completed when the coupon is redeemed, and the coupon and the voucher shall be retained with the gaming occasion records.

      (9) If the organization sells gift certificates for bingo paper or a card-minding device, the receipts for the sale shall be counted as gaming receipts on the day they are received. When the gift certificate is redeemed, a voucher shall be completed and the gift certificate and the voucher shall be retained with the gaming occasion records.

      (10) If a paper pulltab or electronic pulltab device is awarded as a bingo prize, the person in charge of bingo payouts shall purchase the pulltabs or electronic pulltab device and any credits loaded to the device from the pulltab manager by transfer of cash from bingo payout to pulltab sales and it shall be recorded as a sale on the session records.

      (11) Each bingo winner shall be determined and every prize shall be awarded and delivered on the same day on which the bingo was conducted.

      (12) A voucher shall be redeemed on the same day as awarded. (32 Ky.R. 813; 1288; 1651; eff. 3-31-2006; 33 Ky.R. 3522; 34 Ky.R. 66; 262; eff. 8-31-2007; 40 Ky.R. 1476; eff. 4-4-2014; 42 Ky.R. 941; eff. 1-4-2016.)

Notation

      RELATES TO: KRS 238.545

      STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 238.515(2), (9), 238.545(1)(b).

      NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 238.515(9) authorizes the department to promulgate administrative regulations necessary to carry out the purposes and intent of KRS Chapter 238. KRS 238.515(2) authorizes the department to establish charitable gaming standards. KRS 238.545(1)(b) requires the department to promulgate an administrative regulation concerning use and control of card-minding devices. This administrative regulation establishes standards for the conduct of play of bingo.