Committee advances bill to allow online raffles for certain colleges, questions remain on geofencing

The Senate Government Organization Committee voted to report House Bill 2,491 to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass. The bill would allow qualifying colleges and universities to hold online raffles with proceeds directed to athletic departments and would remove a state requirement that raffle operators use geofencing to ensure patrons are physically inside West Virginia.

The bill’s sponsor and committee counsel told members the measure makes several changes: it limits eligibility to institutions with NCAA Division I or II athletic departments; it allows affiliated nonprofits, trusts and NIL collectives to benefit; it expands the definition of charitable activity to include fostering collegiate or international sports competition; it removes a statutory requirement that licensees host servers inside the state; and it clarifies that charitable raffles are not sports wagering or interactive…