RCW 9.46.0323 Enhanced raffles—Authority of commission—Report, recommendations. (Expires June 30, 2022.)

(1) A bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization, as defined in RCW 9.46.0209, whose primary purpose is serving individuals with intellectual disabilities may conduct enhanced raffles if licensed by the commission.

(2) The commission has the authority to approve two enhanced raffles per calendar year for western Washington and two enhanced raffles per calendar year for eastern Washington. Whether the enhanced raffle occurs in western Washington or eastern Washington will be determined by the location where the grand prize winning ticket is to be drawn as stated on the organization's application to the commission. An enhanced raffle is considered approved when voted on by the commission.

(3) The commission has the authority to approve enhanced raffles under the following conditions:

(a) The value of the grand prize must not exceed five million dollars.

(b) Sales may be made in person, by mail, by fax, or by telephone only. Raffle ticket order forms may be printed from the bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization's web site. Obtaining the form in this manner does not constitute a sale.

(c) Tickets purchased as part of a multiple ticket package may be purchased at a discount.

(d) Multiple smaller prizes are authorized during the course of an enhanced raffle for a grand prize including, but not limited to, early bird, refer a friend, and multiple ticket drawings.

(e) A purchase contract is not necessary for smaller noncash prizes, but the bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization must be able to demonstrate that such a prize is available and sufficient funds are held in reserve in the event that the winner chooses a noncash prize.

(f) All enhanced raffles and associated smaller raffles must be independently audited, as defined by the commission during rule making. The audit results must be reported to the commission.

(g) Call centers, when licensed by the commission, are authorized. The bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization may contract with a call center vendor to receive enhanced raffle ticket sales. The vendor may not solicit sales. The vendor may be located outside the state, but the bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization must have a contractual relationship with the vendor stating that the vendor must comply with all applicable Washington state laws and rules.

(h) The bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization must be the primary recipient of the funds raised.

(i) Sales data may be transmitted electronically from the vendor to the bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization. Credit cards, issued by a state regulated or federally regulated financial institution, may be used for payment to participate in enhanced raffles.

(j) Receipts including ticket confirmation numbers may be sent to ticket purchasers either by mail or by email.

(k) In the event the bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization determines ticket sales are insufficient to qualify for a complete enhanced raffle to move forward, the enhanced raffle winner must receive fifty percent of the net proceeds in excess of expenses as the grand prize. The enhanced raffle winner will receive a choice between an annuity value equal to fifty percent of the net proceeds in excess of expenses paid by annuity over twenty years, or a one-time cash payment of seventy percent of the annuity value.

(l) A bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization is authorized to hire a consultant licensed by the commission to run an enhanced raffle; in addition, the bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization must have a dedicated employee who is responsible for oversight of enhanced raffle operations. The bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization is ultimately responsible for ensuring that an enhanced raffle is conducted in accordance with all applicable state laws and rules.

(4) The commission has the authority to set fees for bona fide charitable or nonprofit organizations, call center vendors, and consultants conducting enhanced raffles authorized under this section.

(5) The commission has the authority to adopt rules governing the licensing and operation of enhanced raffles.

(6) Except as specifically authorized in this section, enhanced raffles must be held in accordance with all other requirements of this chapter, other applicable laws, and rules of the commission.

(7) For the purposes of this section:

(a) "Enhanced raffle" means a game in which tickets bearing an individual number are sold for not more than two hundred fifty dollars each and in which a grand prize and smaller prizes are awarded on the basis of drawings from the tickets by the person or persons conducting the game. An enhanced raffle may include additional related entries and drawings, such as early bird, refer a friend, and multiple ticket drawings when the bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization establishes the eligibility standards for such entries and drawings before any enhanced raffle tickets are sold. No drawing may occur by using a random number generator or similar means.

(b) "Early bird drawing" means a separate drawing for a separate prize held prior to the grand prize drawing. All tickets entered into the early bird drawing, including all early bird winning tickets, are entered into subsequent early bird drawings, and also entered into the drawing for the grand prize.

(c) "Refer a friend drawing" means a completely separate drawing, using tickets distinct from those for the enhanced raffle, for a separate prize held at the conclusion of the enhanced raffle for all enhanced raffle ticket purchasers, known as the referring friend, who refer other persons to the enhanced raffle when the other person ultimately purchases an enhanced raffle ticket. The referring friend will receive one ticket for each friend referred specifically for the refer a friend drawing. In addition, each friend referred could also become a referring friend and receive his or her own additional ticket for the refer a friend drawing.

(d) "Multiple ticket drawing" means a completely separate drawing, using tickets distinct from those for the enhanced raffle, for a separate prize held at the conclusion of the enhanced raffle for all enhanced raffle ticket purchasers who purchase a specified number of enhanced raffle tickets. For example, a multiple ticket drawing could include persons who purchase three or more enhanced raffle tickets in the same order, using the same payment information, with tickets in the same person's name. For each eligible enhanced raffle ticket purchased, the purchaser also receives a ticket for the multiple ticket drawing prize.

(e) "Western Washington" includes those counties west of the Cascade mountains, including Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, and Whatcom.

(f) "Eastern Washington" includes those counties east of the Cascade mountains that are not listed in (e) of this subsection.

(8) By December 2016, the commission must report back to the appropriate committees of the legislature on enhanced raffles. The report must include results of the raffles, revenue generated by the raffles, and identify any state or federal regulatory actions taken in relation to enhanced raffles in Washington. The report must also make recommendations, if any, for policy changes to the enhanced raffle authority.

(9) This section expires June 30, 2022.

[ 2016 c 116 § 1; 2013 c 310 § 1.]