[Fundraisers | how to host a legal casino fundraiser | how to make the most money with a casino fundraiser | no purchase necessary]
This is My Opinion Only. I am not an attorney and this is not legal advice. We recommend you seek the advice of an attorney.
When hosting a casino fundraiser in California the law states the following:
- Pursuant to California Penal Code section 330, et seq. slot machines and other games, including roulette, craps, twenty-one, or any banking or percentage game played for anything of value, are prohibited and cannot lawfully be played for charitable fundraising purposes.
In my opinion, so long as there is no cost to play in the casino event, there is no value to the chips used and there is no prize tied to the number of chips you have then you are not breaking the law.
The law reads. “upon the result of action of which money or other valuable thing is staked or hazarded,”
My suggestion is to place on all your marketing (Digital & Printed) the following statement and link if digital.
No purchase necessary to play our casino games! All Games run by Bakersfield Casino Rentals are just for entertainment purposes only.
There are multiple ways you can get free funny money.
- Send in a request. Details here no purchase necessary
- Do a review at the event.
- Free bonus with your dinner.
- Free bonus when you buy our pop sockets.
Details availble online at http://bakersfieldcasinorentals.com.
We will send the code to you upon request.
Everyone who comes to your event will get a ticket for a chance to win the 3 day Vegas trip just for showing up. Extra tickets can be gotten when they turn in their casino chips at the end of the night. (This is how we make sure to get back our chips at the end of the night)
Here is the rule on the DOJ Website https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=PEN&division=&title=9.&part=1.&chapter=10.&article=
We are referring to suction 330a We have highlighted the section we are referring to:
(a) Every person, who has in his or her possession or under his or her control, either as owner, lessee, agent, employee, mortgagee, or otherwise, or who permits to be placed, maintained, or kept in any room, space, inclosure, or building owned, leased, or occupied by him or her, or under his or her management or control, any slot or card machine, contrivance, appliance or mechanical device, upon the result of action of which money or other valuable thing is staked or hazarded, and which is operated, or played, by placing or depositing therein any coins, checks, slugs, balls, or other articles or device, or in any other manner and by means whereof, or as a result of the operation of which any merchandise, money, representative or articles of value, checks, or tokens, redeemable in or exchangeable for money or any other thing of value, is won or lost, or taken from or obtained from the machine, when the result of action or operation of the machine, contrivance, appliance, or mechanical device is dependent upon hazard or chance, and every person, who has in his or her possession or under his or her control, either as owner, lessee, agent, employee, mortgagee, or otherwise, or who permits to be placed, maintained, or kept in any room, space, inclosure, or building owned, leased, or occupied by him or her, or under his or her management or control, any card dice, or any dice having more than six faces or bases each, upon the result of action of which any money or other valuable thing is staked or hazarded, or as a result of the operation of which any merchandise, money, representative or article of value, check or token, redeemable in or exchangeable for money or any other thing of value, is won or lost or taken, when the result of action or operation of the dice is dependent upon hazard or chance, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) The first violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(c) A second offense shall be punishable by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) nor more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(d) A third or subsequent offense shall be punishable by a fine of not less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) nor more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(e) If the offense involved more than one machine or more than one location, an additional fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) shall be imposed per machine and per location.
(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 577, Sec. 1. (AB 1753) Effective January 1, 2011.)
This is My Opinion Only. I am not an attorney and this is not legal advice. We recommend you seek the advice of an attorney.