HF4983

Purpose

This bill expands certain gambling activities by increasing the number of electronic gambling devices allowed, allowing electronic pulltabs and electronic bingo to be played at the same time on the same device, and raising prize limits for electronic pulltabs. It makes related changes to how these games are run, tracked, and supervised under Minnesota law.

Main Provisions

• Electronic Bingo Linked Games on Electronic Bingo Devices

  • Premises eligible to offer linked bingo on electronic devices must either be licensed for on-sale intoxicating liquor or on-sale 3 percent malt beverages, or be a bingo-primary business with seating capacity of at least 100.
  • Device limits for linked bingo:
  • Up to 6 devices on premises with 200 seats or fewer.
  • Up to 12 devices on premises with 201 seats or more.
  • Up to 50 devices on premises where bingo is the primary business.
  • Prior to a bingo occasion, the linked bingo provider must supply a bingo program to the board in a format the board prescribes.
  • Players must show a valid photo ID with date of birth before playing.
  • For cashing out, players with $600+ in credits must show a valid ID; the winner’s ID is kept as part of a prize receipt for a specified period.
  • Organizations may remove a device from play if not in an activated mode for a period defined in house rules.
  • Electronic bingo may be played at the same time as electronic pulltabs on the same device, with a limit of one electronic bingo device and one electronic pulltab device per player unless the device can handle both games.

• Electronic Pulltab Devices

  • Electronic pulltabs may be used only at premises that are either:
  • licensed for on-sale intoxicating liquor or on-sale 3 percent malt beverages, or
  • bingo-primary premises with seating capacity of at least 100, where the organization sells paper pulltabs and consents to electronic pulltabs on the premises.
  • Device limits:
  • Up to 6 devices on premises with 200 seats or fewer.
  • Up to 12 devices on premises with 201 seats or more.
  • Up to 50 devices on premises where bingo is the primary business.
  • Hours of operation for devices: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
  • All electronic pulltabs must be sold and played on the permitted premises; they may not be linked to other permitted locations.
  • Electronic pulltabs may not be transferred to another location by the licensed organization.
  • Electronic pulltabs may be commingled only if they come from the same family of games and share the same game name, form number, type, ticket count, prize amounts, and prize denominations; each commingled game must have a unique serial number.
  • Identity requirements and recordkeeping are similar to those for electronic bingo:
  • Valid photo ID with date of birth required before playing.
  • Prize receipts must reflect winner information; IDs may be retained for prize receipts for a set period.
  • Prize cashing of $600+ requires presenting a valid ID; the winner’s ID must be retained in the prize receipt for the same retention period as above.
  • An organization may remove a device from play if the player has not kept it in an activated mode for a period defined in house rules.
  • Each player is limited to using one device at a time, and overall device limitations in place apply to electronic pulltabs as well.

• Prizes and Carryover for Electronic Pulltabs

  • Maximum prize per single electronic pulltab based on the number of electronic pulltabs in the game:
  • 2 or fewer tabs: $599
  • 3 tabs: $899
  • 4 tabs: $1,199
  • 5 tabs: $1,499
  • 10 tabs: $2,999
  • Cumulative or carryover prizes for an electronic pulltab game may not exceed $5,000.
  • An organization may not sell any electronic pulltab for more than $10.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Device and Premises Expansion
  • Raises the allowable number of electronic bingo devices per premises (up to 50 in some cases) and electronic pulltab devices (up to 50 in certain premises).
• Simultaneous Play
  • Allows electronic bingo games to be played simultaneously with electronic pulltabs on the same device, expanding how players can engage with both game types at once.
• Prize Levels and Carryover
  • Establishes new maximum prize amounts for single electronic pulltabs depending on the number of tabs and imposes a $5,000 cap on carryover prizes, with an overall price limit of $10 per pulltab.
• On-Premises and Operational Rules
  • Tightens and clarifies where these devices may operate (premises with liquor licenses or bingo-focused businesses) and specifies hours of operation (8:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.).
• Identification and Recordkeeping
  • Increases identity verification requirements for players and formalizes retention of winner information as prize receipts, with a retention period defined by the board rules.
• Compliance and Oversight
  • Requires a formal bingo program submission to the board before linked bingo begins and reinforces reporting and tracking requirements for winners.

Notable Provisions to Watch

• The bill repeatedly references “the board” (Minnesota Gambling Control Board) for format and retention standards, implying ongoing regulation and rule-setting.
• Commingling is allowed only under specific conditions (same family, same game name/form number/type, etc.) with unique serial numbers for each commingled game.
• Several retention periods reference prize receipts and winner information, tying into enforcement and audit processes.

Relevant Terms - electronic pulltab devices - electronic bingo devices - linked bingo games - electronic bingo - premises licensed for on-sale intoxicating liquor - on-sale 3 percent malt beverages - seating capacity - device limits (6, 12, 50) - hours of operation (8:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.) - on-premises use; no cross-location transfer - commingling - same family of games; game name/form number/type - serial number - prize receipts - identification (photo ID, driver license, Minnesota ID) - winner identification retention - carryover prizes (up to $5,000) - maximum single pulltab prizes by tab count (e.g., $599, $899, $1,199, $1,499, $2,999) - maximum price per pulltab ($10) - board rules - Minnesota Gambling Control Board - activation status of devices - simultaneous play on one device

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