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Lansing voters will elect a president, senator, congressman, state supreme court justice, and town councilperson Tuesday.  They will also vote on a gambling law that updates a 1958 gaming law.  If passed the law will bring Lansing into compliance with New York State law as well as to raise the gaming limits.  It will impact all local charitable games of chance including raffles, fifty-fifties, bell jar games, and Bingo.

"My understanding is that 9/11 was the big impetus, because a lot of the money was being raised and going who knows where," says Lansing Supervisor Kathy Miller.  "Some groups were raising quite a bit of money.  The bingo law was always good, except we needed to increase the amounts allowed.  And the people who host Bingo in Lansing have been very good, following the letter of that law.  But now if you want to have a 50/50 raffle you need to have a permit."

The law prohibits illegal games, and defines exactly what is legal in the Town, including amounts that may be raised and reporting procedures for enforcement.

The first step is to obtain a Games Of Chance and/or Bingo Identification Number by mailing an application to the Charitable Gaming Unit of the New York State Racing & Wagering Board.  If another organization will be helping with the games it must apply for a separate Identification Number.

"You apply to them first," says Lansing Town Clerk Debbie Crandall.  "If you fit in a category that requires a Town license you come to the Clerk's office to get a license."

Violation of the law could result in a $1,000 per day fine for each day the violation exists.  But Crandall says that the Town would have to hear of improprieties before it could enforce penalties.

Both Crandall and Miller say that regular Bingo games at All Saints Catholic Church have always complied to the letter of the law, including obtaining permits and paying fees.  Bingo license costs depend on how many games you plan to hold. 

Bingo workers have to be cleared by the Tompkins County Sheriff's Department before they can work at Bingo games.  When all requirements are met the Town Clerk issues the license and 3% of the procedes is charged to the organization as a fee.  Crandall says some of that money goes to the State with some going to the Town.  All Saints Catholic Church's Bingo license for 32 consecutive games this year came to $600.  A one-year raffle or Bell Jar game license costs $25.  Licenses for any games not specifically mentioned in the law will cost $50.

The Charitable Gaming Unit puts a number of restrictions on the games.  Bingo may only be conducted 18 days or fewer per quarter, and forms and fees must be submitted to the Town clerk for each occasion.  Profits must be deposited in a special Bingo checking account.  House rules including those handling seat reservations must be adopted.  Bingo workers must have ID badges.  At least two workers must count the proceeds.

Raffle ticket sales are restricted to people 18 years of age or older, and can only be sold on the premises of the organization holding the raffle, unless the municipality has passed a law permitting sales off the premises.  A 180 day cap applies to the time during which the tickets may be sold.  You have to be 18 or older to sell raffle tickets.  The value of the total sales determines which rules apply to your raffle.

If your group plans a game of chance it pays to plan ahead.  Crandall estimates it takes about a month to get an Identification Number from the State.  It depends on what category you're in and whether you need a license from the Town.  She says it takes another few days or a week to process a license in her office, depending on whether the Sheriff has to vet game workers.

The law was unanimously approved by the Lansing Town Board in August, but gaming laws must also be ratified by voters.  If the law passes it will go into effect immediately when the polls close on November 6th.

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