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Committee approves House Bill 455 to modernize charitable bingo rules
Summary
The Senate Economic Development Committee voted to give 'due pass' to House Bill 455, which would allow multiple locations per bingo operator, permit up to three daily sessions (five hours each), raise the weekly prize cap to $6,000, and increase daily pay for bingo workers to $150.
The Georgia Senate Economic Development Committee on Monday approved House Bill 455, a measure the presenter described as an update to the state’s charitable bingo laws. The committee granted the bill a 'due pass' by voice vote after the presenter outlined changes intended to help nonprofit and veterans’ organizations that operate bingo as a fundraising activity.
The unnamed House member presenting the bill told the committee that Georgia currently permits only two forms of legalized gambling — the state lottery and bingo — and that the proposal would allow licensed charitable operators to use multiple locations and hold up to three bingo sessions per day, not to exceed five hours per session. The presenter said the bill would raise the weekly prize cap to $6,000 and increase the permissible daily pay for people who run bingo from $30 to $150. "Georgia only has two forms of legalized gambling," the presenter said, explaining why the bill targets only charitable bingo and not other commercial gaming.
Supporters said the changes reflect practical realities: venues that host large charity bingo events sometimes move games among ballrooms or to adjacent club spaces, and the proposed weekly cap is intended to keep per‑session winnings within limits. The presenter also noted that operator pay has not kept pace with inflation and professional staffing needs.
Committee discussion included informal exchanges and questions about related fundraising such as raffle tickets; those items were discussed as distinct from the bill’s scope. The motion for a 'due pass' was made on the record and approved by a voice vote; the committee did not provide a roll‑call tally in the transcript.
The bill sponsors and committee said existing enforcement and payout rules would continue to prohibit cash payouts where courts have found such payouts to constitute commercial gambling. The presenter said a separate, court‑driven distinction applies to commercial amusement machines and that recent legislative changes will move payout mechanisms toward non‑cash options such as gift cards in some contexts.
Next steps: the bill will proceed according to Senate rules to the next stage of consideration. The committee record indicates passage by voice vote but does not show a recorded roll call in the provided transcript.
