Bingo Bulletin
Policy Amendments – Community Bingo Review
April 13, 2021
This bulletin is to advise all charitable organizations and stakeholders of IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS to the Bingo Licensee Terms & Conditions for Charities.
A comprehensive review of the Bingo Licensee Terms & Conditions for Charities policy, now renamed as the Community Bingo Terms & Conditions, was conducted to clarify and modernize policy, and provide more flexibility for charities that conduct community bingo events.
Policy was amended to accomplish the following objectives:
- Create more flexibility for charities:
- Remove the 65 per cent prize value limit and the prize payout limit, and replace these with a profitability statement.
- Removing the bingo event limit for licensed charities to hold one special event a month and a special anniversary program to coincide with its new license period.
- Accommodate the sale and consumption of liquor during community bingo events.
- Increase the value of promotional items from $25 to $50.
- Expand acceptable forms of payment at community bingo events.
- Reduce financial reporting requirements for community bingos that generate $20,000 and less in annual gross bingo revenue.
- Expand paid positions to include bingo coordinator for larger bingos.
- Modernize and clarify community bingo policy:
- Remove association bingo policy to provide charities with relevant information to conduct community bingo events.
- Provide more information on application requirements for community bingo, and specifically for media bingo.
- Define allowable expenses.
- Ensure charities with small bingo programs under $20,000 in annual gross bingo revenue are not required to purchase bingo equipment or paper from a registered gaming supplier.
- Include a set of guidelines to maintain a financial/inventory and cash management control systems for revenue and expenses.
- Aligning the process to confirm and present winners with the progressive jackpot.
- Included policy for seeding bingo prizes for regular and special games.
The amended Community Bingo Terms & Conditions may be accessed on AGLC’s website at aglc.ca.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact AGLC’s Regulatory Services Division or call the AGLC Hotline at 1-800-561-4415.