Who Can Apply for a Bingo Permit
Volunteer fire companies, veterans organizations, religious or charitable organizations, and fraternal societies that have been in existence at least two years may apply for a bingo permit, provided:
- net profits from permitted bingo events are used solely for the achievement of the organization’s purpose as described in its by-laws.
- at the time of application, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recognizes the organization as a charitable organization as described in Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code.
You must receive your Bingo Event permit before advertising or holding the event.
Do not apply for a Bingo Permit if you are applying for a Charitable Gaming, Instant or Sealed Games, Raffle or Texas Hold’Em Tournament permit.
Limitations on Bingo Events
- Bingo events are limited to six hours. Games may not begin before 12:00 p.m. and must end by 1:00 a.m.
- No games are to be conducted in any room or area where alcoholic beverages are sold or served during the progress of the game.
- When a bingo event is conducted in conjunction with a bazaar, carnival, festival or similar affair scheduled for more than one day, but less than ten consecutive days, the function will be considered one licensed event.
- No one under 18 years old is allowed to attend any Bingo game where the prize is money. No one under 16 years old is allowed to participate in any Bingo game nor to conduct or assist in conducting any Bingo game. However, persons who are 14 years old or older may act as waiters/waitresses in the handling of food or drinks at a Bingo event.
- No more than 40 bingo games (excluding cookie jar bingo) may be conducted on a single occasion.
- The maximum cash value of a prize awarded for a single bingo game cannot exceed $350.
- The maximum cash value total of all prizes awarded for an entire bingo event cannot exceed $3,000.
Information on How to Apply for a License in DELPROS
All applications are submitted through our online system, DELPROS.
- Click on the titles below in each section to expand the information.
In order to apply for a license or submit a service request, you must first have a
DELPROS user account. To LOG IN or CREATE a DELPROS (Delaware Professional Regulation Online Services) user account:
- Go to: https://delpros.delaware.gov/OH_HomePage.
- Click GO on the Apply/Manage a License and Service Requests tile.
- If you do not have a DELPROS user account, click the REGISTER button on the left side of page for NEW USERS.
- If you already have a DELPROS user account, enter your email address and password on the right side for EXISTING USERS and click the LOGIN button.
DELPROS allows you to save your incomplete application and return to it later to finish the process. You only have six (6) months to submit your application once you begin.
- If you do not submit your application within six months of starting it, you will be required to restart the entire online application again.
You may check the status of your application online throughout the entire application process by using the “View Application Status” feature in DELPROS on your e-License dashboard.
- Know the requirements for the license you are pursuing.
- Request and gather all documents required to upload on the Attachments page. All information and forms are located on your profession’s webpages.
On the ATTACHMENTS page of your application, you may be instructed to:
- either “attach” or “upload” the required document(s) directly to your application. This means you will find the document(s) saved on your computer or device and upload it to your application.
- click “acknowledge.” This means you will either have to mail the documents yourself or request the “third-party” mail the document(s) directly to the Board office.
- Examples of “third-party forms” are transcripts from schools, employment verifications from a supervisor, and license verifications from another state.
- Forms requiring a supervisor signature, seal, or notary may have to be MAILED to the Board office directly UNLESS the document specifically indicates to UPLOAD the document.
The requirements for this license type are provided in the following section(s).
In addition to submitting the application and fee in DELPROS, you must submit:
- A signed letter from the national or parent organization on its letterhead, specifically stating that your chapter is properly affiliated, and
- A current copy of the parent organization’s IRS group exemption letter dated within the past 12 months if you are relying on a group exemption letter issued to a national or parent organization.
- A letter from the premises owner (on owner’s letterhead) allowing your organization to hold its event(s) on a specific date, or
- a copy of your lease or rental agreement if the event will be held at any location other than the organization’s physical Delaware address.
The Board reserves the right to accept or reject any application for the conduct of a function on specially leased or donated premises.
- A letter on your organization’s letterhead designating the new Member(s)-In-Charge if a Member(s)-In-Charge has changed since your last bingo application. The letter, signed by the organization’s officer, must grant the Member(s)-In-Charge authority to submit bingo applications on behalf of the organization and to be responsible for all permitted bingo events.
- An Addendum A:Bingo Games & Prizes Record for each proposed event date if you are applying for more than one bingo event, and the winning card arrangements and/or prizes will vary on different event dates.
- Note that you must enter the retail cash value for each prize listed on Addendum A. Entering “varies”, “50/50,” “depends on the number of players” or any other indeterminate amount will result in a delay in processing and possible denial of your application.
In addition to submitting the application, fee, and supporting documentation required in the previous section, in DELPROS, you must also submit:
- Documentation from the (IRS) dated within the past 12 months, showing proof of the following:
- organization’s legal name
- physical Delaware address
- EIN or Federal ID Number
- 501(c) IRS determination
- A copy of your organization’s formation documents (e.g.Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, Constitution, Charter, etc.). The documentation submitted must include your organization’s purpose and/or mission statement.
- A notarized letter on your organization’s letterhead designating up to five Members-In-Charge of the bingo event(s). The letter, signed by the officer of the organization, must grant the Member(s)-In-Charge the authority to submit bingo applications on behalf of the organization and to be responsible for all permitted bingo events.
The Board will
only review applications that meet
all of the following requirements:
- The online application and fee is submitted in DELPROS at least seven to ten business days in advance of the Board meeting.
- 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.
If your proposed event date passes before the Board reviews and approves your application, you are not permitted to hold your event. If all event dates listed on your application pass before the Board reviews and approves them, you are not permitted to hold any of the events and you will forfeit the non-refundable processing fee.
You are not permitted to submit alternate event dates if all proposed dates pass before the Board reviews and approves it. You must submit a new application and processing fee for the alternate dates.