563.51 Restrictions on the conduct of bingo.

(1) Who conducts. Only a person licensed under s. 563.15 shall conduct bingo.

(2t) Prohibited places. Bingo may not be conducted at a place owned, operated or controlled by a person who has been convicted of having operated a gambling place within the past 5 years.

(4) Sufficient space to play. Purchase of a bingo card shall entitle each player to a place with sufficient room in which to play.

(7) Equipment; supplies.

(a) A licensed organization shall purchase or receive bingo supplies and equipment specifically designed or adapted for use in the conduct of bingo only from a licensed supplier or another licensed organization.

(b) Any equipment used in the conduct of bingo shall be owned absolutely by the licensed organization or borrowed from another licensed organization without payment of any compensation therefor by the licensed organization.

(c) The equipment and supplies used in the conduct of bingo shall be maintained in good repair and sound condition.

(8) Profits used for proper and legitimate expenditures. The profits from any bingo game shall be used exclusively for proper and legitimate expenditures of the licensed organization.

(9) Limitation on value of prizes.

(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c), no prize in a single bingo game shall exceed $500 and the aggregate value of prizes at any bingo occasion may not exceed $2,500.

(b) The aggregate value of prizes at a bingo occasion may exceed $2,500 by the amount resulting from the awarding of minimum prizes under sub. (27).

(c) The limits under par. (a) do not apply to progressive jackpot bingo.

(10) Prohibited prizes.

(a) No licensed organization shall award any prize consisting of alcoholic or fermented malt beverages or an interest in real estate or securities.

(b) No bonus or additional prizes shall be awarded on the basis of either a specific arrangement of the numbers or the type of card required to win a game. Except as provided for progressive jackpot bingo under s. 563.54, no prize shall be determined on the basis of a specified number of calls.

(11) Merchandise prizes. If any merchandise prize is awarded in a bingo game, its value shall be its current retail price. The current retail price of merchandise prizes donated to a licensed organization shall not be reported as an expenditure in its financial statement of bingo operations. No merchandise prize shall be redeemable or convertible into cash directly or indirectly by the licensed organization.

(12) Management and operation of bingo. No person shall receive remuneration for participating in the management or operation of any bingo game.

(13) Age limitations.

(a) A minor may not play a bingo game conducted by a licensed organization unless an adult who is a relative of the minor by blood, marriage, or adoption, or the minor's guardian, is present in the building or on the premises while the minor plays the game.

(b) A minor may not conduct or assist in the conduct of bingo.

(14) Only proper and legitimate expenditures permitted. No expenditures other than proper and legitimate expenditures may be made in connection with the conduct of bingo by a licensed organization.

(15) Regular bingo game fee. A fee of not more than $1 may be charged for admission to premises at which a regular bingo game is conducted. The fee entitles the person to participate, without additional charge, in all regular bingo games played at such bingo occasion, except that a fee of not more than $1 may be charged for each extra regular card.

(16) Winners and prizes; same day. Except as provided for progressive jackpot bingo under s. 563.54, each bingo winner shall be determined and every prize shall be awarded and delivered on the same day on which the bingo occasion is conducted.

(18) Sale of supplies, merchandise and refreshments. In addition to the sale of bingo supplies by the licensed organization or the sale of food or refreshments, merchandise may be sold on the premises where bingo is conducted when authorized by the licensed organization.

(19) Bingo cards; printing. Bingo cards shall be printed only on one side.

(20) Separate count of bingo cards. The licensed organization shall keep an accurate, separate count of the number of regular bingo cards, extra regular cards and special bingo cards which are sold, rented or used. Such information shall be available for inspection at the close of the bingo occasion.

(21) Price of bingo cards. Regular bingo cards, extra regular cards and special bingo cards shall each be assigned a specific price, and the price shall remain the same during a bingo occasion. At any time during a bingo occasion, a regular or extra regular card may be changed at no additional cost. Cards shall be sold or rented only on the premises at which bingo is being conducted. A price list shall be posted where the bingo cards are distributed, setting forth the price of each type of card. Only the posted price may be charged. The regular bingo cards and the extra regular cards shall be readily distinguishable from each other.

(22) Method of play.

(a) The method of play in any bingo game and the utilization of bingo equipment and supplies shall be such that each player is afforded an equal opportunity to win.

(b) The objects to be drawn shall be essentially the same in size, shape, weight, balance and all other characteristics, so that at all times during the conduct of bingo, each object possesses the capacity for equal agitation with any other object within the receptacle.

(c) All 75 objects shall be present in the receptacle at the beginning of each bingo game.

(d) The announcement of all numbers drawn shall be clearly audible to the players present.

(e) When more than one room is used for any one bingo game, the receptacle and the caller and any assistant shall be in the room where the greatest number of players are present; and all numbers shall be announced in a manner clearly audible to the players in each room.

(f) Once removed, no object shall be returned to the receptacle until after the conclusion of the game.

(g) Immediately following the calling of each number in a bingo game, the caller shall turn that portion of the object which shows the number and letter to the players.

(23) Number arrangement announced; prizes announced and posted.

(a) Except as provided in par. (b), the particular arrangement of numbers required to be covered in order to win and the amount of the prize for each game shall be clearly described and audibly announced to the players immediately before each game. Except as provided in par. (b), the amount of the prize for each bingo game also shall be posted where the bingo cards are distributed.

(b) If the amount of the prize in a progressive jackpot bingo game under s. 563.54 is determined, at least in part, on the basis of card sales, the method for determining the amount of the prize must be clearly described, audibly announced, and posted as provided under par. (a), but the amount of the prize need not be announced or posted.

(24) Verification of winner.

(a) The numbers appearing on the winning card at the time a winner is determined shall be verified in the immediate presence of at least one disinterested player.

(b) At the time a winner is determined, any player may call for a verification of all numbers and of the objects remaining in the receptacle and not yet drawn. This verification shall be made in the immediate presence of the supervising member and at least one disinterested player.

(26) Limit on hours of bingo. No bingo game may commence before 7 a.m. or after 12 midnight, except as provided in s. 563.55.

(27) More than one winner. When more than one player is found to be the winner on the call of the same number in the same bingo game, a cash prize shall be divided equally among the winners. The licensed organization may elect to round off the prize to any amount between the next lower dollar and the next higher dollar. Any licensed organization may elect to set a minimum prize of no more than $10 for each winner. When equal division of a merchandise prize is not possible, identical substitute prizes whose aggregate retail value is approximately equal to that of the designated prize may be awarded or a cash prize equal to the retail value may be divided among the winners as provided in this subsection.

(28) Prohibited from playing. No licensed organization shall permit any person who is conducting or assisting in the conduct of bingo on a bingo occasion to participate as a player on that occasion.

(29) Bingo caller. No person may act as a caller in the conduct of any game of bingo unless the person:

(a) Has been a member in good standing of the licensed organization, the auxiliary of the licensed organization or the parent organization or a member of the local unit of the religious organization which the licensed organization is a member of for at least one year immediately preceding the date of the game or is the spouse of such a member.

(b) Subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322 and 111.335, has never been convicted of a felony or, if convicted, has been pardoned or released from probation, extended supervision or parole for at least 5 years.

History: 1973 c. 156; 1975 c. 99; 1977 c. 418; 1979 c. 34, 172; 1981 c. 122, 209, 380; 1981 c. 391 s. 211; 1983 a. 35, 222; 1985 a. 128; 1987 a. 21; 1989 a. 31, 147; 1991 a. 269 s. 782gp; Stats. 1991 s. 563.51; 1997 a. 283; 2005 a. 247; 2009 a. 328; 2017 a. 361.

A televised bingo program involving viewer participation violates this section and exposes the sponsoring organization and participating television station to prosecution under ss. 163.54 (now s. 563.73), 945.02 (3) , and 945.03 (4) (now s. 945.03 (1m) (d)). 65 Atty. Gen. 80.

The state's interest in preventing organized crime infiltration of a tribal bingo enterprise does not justify state regulation in light of the compelling federal and tribal interest supporting it. California v. Cabazon Band of Indians, 480 U.S. 202 (1987).