BOARD FUNCTION:

The Board of Charitable Gaming (hereafter "the Board") protects the public by regulating and policing activities which involve gaming and other practices which are unlawful except as permitted by law.  The Board develops standards assuring professional competence, monitors complaints from the general public related to practices of persons engaged in the activities, adjudicates formal complaint hearings, develops rules and regulations, and imposes sanctions where necessary against persons or occupational groups regulated by the Board. (28 Del. C. § 1501-1504)

The Board may license volunteer fire companies, veterans’ organizations, charitable organizations, religious organizations and fraternal societies that have been in existence two or more years.  Charitable gaming is defined as any game or scheme in which chance is the dominant factor, participants pay a consideration to play and a prize may be won. Games for the Board’s consideration include bingo, instant bingo, raffles, Texas Hold’em poker tournaments and charitable games but exclude slot machines, roulette, craps and baccarat.

FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS: The Board meets the first Thursday of each month at 1:00 p.m. The meetings are open to the public and are held in the Cannon Building, Conference Room "B" located on the second floor of the Cannon Building, 861 Silver Lake Boulevard, Dover, Delaware.

APPLICATION REVIEW: The Board will review only applications that meet all of the following requirements:

• The Board office must receive applications no later than ten business days (excluding federal and state holidays) before the next scheduled Board meeting in order to be added to the agenda for the meeting.
• The application form must be complete, signed and notarized.  As forms are subject to change, be sure to use the current form from the Forms page on this website each time you apply for a permit.  Obsolete forms will be rejected.
• The application must be accompanied by the correct fee.  Applications without fees will be rejected.
• Applications must include all supporting documentation as spelled out in the Licensure Requirements on the menu to the left.
• Your organization’s After Occasion Reports (AORs) must be up-to-date.  AORs are due no later than 30 days after a gaming event.  If your organization’s AORs for past events are overdue, the Board will not review your application for any future event.

GAMBLING PROBLEMS: The Delaware Council on Gambling Problems, Inc. (DCGP) offers confidential assistance to gamblers, their families and to those who are concerned about a friend or colleague. DCGP provides literature, support meeting information, treatment information and 24-hour help. If you believe that you or someone you know may be experiencing a gambling problem, find out about the help and services offered by the DCGP by calling the Gambling Helpline at 1-888-850-8888.