A lottery is any scheme for the disposal or distribution of property by chance, among persons who have paid or promised to pay any valuable consideration for the chance of obtaining such property or a portion of it, or for any share or any interest in such property, upon any agreement, understanding, or expectation that it is to be distributed or disposed of by lot or chance, whether called a lottery, raffle, or gift enterprise, or by whatever name the same may be known.
Chapter 9 - Lotteries
California Penal Code — §§ 319-329
Sections (16)
Added by Stats. 1994, Ch. 1074, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1995.
(a)In addition to Section 319, a lottery also shall include a grab bag game which is a scheme whereby, for the disposal or distribution of sports trading cards by chance, a person pays valuable consideration to purchase a sports trading card grab bag with the understanding that the purchaser has a chance to win a designated prize or prizes listed by the seller as being contained in one or more, but not all, of the grab bags.
(b)For purposes of this section, the following
definitions shall apply:
(1)“Sports trading card grab bag” means a sealed package which contains one or more sports trading cards that have been removed from the manufacturer’s original packaging. A “sports trading card grab bag” does not include a sweepstakes, or procedure for the distribution of any sports trading card of value by lot or by chance, which is not unlawful under other provisions of law.
(2)“Sports trading card” means any card produced for use in commerce that contains a company name or logo, or both, and an image, representation, or facsimile of one or more players or other team member or members in any pose, and that is produced pursuant to an appropriate licensing agreement.
Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 456, Sec. 1. Effective July 8, 1982.
Neither this chapter nor Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 330) applies to the possession or operation of a reverse vending machine. As used in this section a reverse vending machine is a machine in which empty beverage containers are deposited for recycling and which provides a payment of money, merchandise, vouchers, or other incentives at a frequency less than upon each deposit. The pay out of a reverse vending machine is made on a deposit selected at random within the designated number of required deposits.
The deposit of an empty beverage container in a reverse vending machine does
not constitute consideration within the definition of lottery in Section 319.
Every person who contrives, prepares, sets up, proposes, or draws any lottery, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 38, Sec. 1. (SB 200) Effective January 1, 2010.
(a)Nothing in this chapter applies to any raffle conducted by an eligible organization as defined in subdivision (c) for the purpose of directly supporting beneficial or charitable purposes or financially supporting another private, nonprofit, eligible organization that performs beneficial or charitable purposes if the raffle is conducted in accordance with this section.
(b)For purposes of this section, “raffle” means a scheme for the distribution of prizes by chance among persons who have paid money for paper tickets that provide the opportunity to win these prizes, where all of the following are true:
(1)Each ticket is sold with a detachable coupon or stub, and both the ticket and its associated coupon or stub are marked with a unique and matching identifier.
(2)Winners of the prizes are determined by draw from among the coupons or stubs described in paragraph (1) that have been detached from all tickets sold for entry in the draw.
(3)The draw is conducted in California under the supervision of a natural person who is 18 years of age or older.
(4)(A) At least 90 percent of the gross receipts generated from the sale of raffle tickets for any given draw are used by the eligible organization conducting the raffle to benefit or provide support for beneficial or charitable purposes, or it may use those revenues to benefit another private, nonprofit organization, provided that an organization receiving these funds is itself an eligible organization as defined in subdivision (c). As used in this section, “beneficial purposes” excludes purposes that are intended to benefit officers, directors, or members, as defined by Section 5056 of the Corporations Code, of the eligible organization. In no event shall funds raised by raffles conducted pursuant to this section be used to fund any beneficial, charitable, or other purpose outside of California. This section does not preclude an eligible organization from using funds from sources other than the sale of raffle tickets to pay for the administration or other costs of
conducting a raffle.
(B)An employee of an eligible organization who is a direct seller of raffle tickets shall not be treated as an employee for purposes of workers’ compensation under Section 3351 of the Labor Code if the following conditions are satisfied:
(i)Substantially all of the remuneration (whether or not paid in cash) for the performance of the service of selling raffle tickets is directly related to sales rather than to the number of hours worked.
(ii) The services performed by the person are performed pursuant to a written contract between the seller and the eligible organization and the contract provides that the person will not be treated as an employee with respect to the selling of raffle tickets for workers’ compensation purposes.
(C) For purposes of this section, employees selling raffle tickets shall be deemed to be direct sellers as described in Section 650 of the Unemployment Insurance Code as long as they meet the requirements of that section.
(c)For purposes of this section, “eligible organization” means a private, nonprofit organization that has been qualified to conduct business in California for at least one year prior to conducting a raffle and is exempt from taxation pursuant to Sections 23701a, 23701b, 23701d, 23701e, 23701f, 23701g, 23701k, 23701l, 23701t, or 23701w of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(d)Any person who receives compensation in connection with the operation of the raffle shall be an employee of the eligible organization that is conducting the raffle, and in no event may compensation be paid from revenues required to be dedicated to beneficial or charitable
purposes.
(e)No raffle otherwise permitted under this section may be conducted by means of, or otherwise utilize, any gaming machine, apparatus, or device, whether or not that machine, apparatus, or device meets the definition of slot machine contained in Section 330a, 330b, or 330.1.
(f)(1) No raffle otherwise permitted under this section may be conducted, nor may tickets for a raffle be sold, within an operating satellite wagering facility or racetrack inclosure licensed pursuant to the Horse Racing Law (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 19400) of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code) or within a gambling establishment licensed pursuant to the Gambling Control Act (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 19800) of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code).
(2)A raffle may not
be operated or conducted in any manner over the Internet, nor may raffle tickets be sold, traded, or redeemed over the Internet. For purposes of this paragraph, an eligible organization shall not be deemed to operate or conduct a raffle over the Internet, or sell raffle tickets over the Internet, if the eligible organization advertises its raffle on the Internet or permits others to do so. Information that may be conveyed on an Internet Web site pursuant to this paragraph includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(A)Lists, descriptions, photographs, or videos of the raffle prizes.
(B)Lists of the prize winners.
(C)The rules of the raffle.
(D)Frequently asked questions and their answers.
(E)Raffle entry forms, which may be downloaded from the Internet Web site for manual completion by raffle ticket purchasers, but shall not be submitted to the eligible organization through the Internet.
(F)Raffle contact information, including the eligible organization’s name, address, telephone number, facsimile number, or e-mail address.
(g)No individual, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity shall hold a financial interest in the conduct of a raffle, except the eligible organization that is itself authorized to conduct that raffle, and any private, nonprofit, eligible organizations receiving financial support from that charitable organization pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b).
(h)(1) An eligible organization may not
conduct a raffle authorized under this section, unless it registers annually with the Department of Justice. The department shall furnish a registration form via the Internet or upon request to eligible nonprofit organizations. The department shall, by regulation, collect only the information necessary to carry out the provisions of this section on this form. This information shall include, but is not limited to, the following:
(A) The name and address of the eligible organization.
(B) The federal tax identification number, the corporate number issued by the Secretary of State, the organization number issued by the Franchise Tax Board, or the California charitable trust identification number of the eligible organization.
(C) The name and title of a responsible fiduciary of the organization.
(2)The department may require an eligible organization to pay an annual registration fee of ten dollars ($10) to cover the actual costs of the department to administer and enforce this section. The department may, by regulation, adjust the annual registration fee as needed to ensure that revenues willfully offset, but do not exceed, the actual costs incurred by the department pursuant to this section. The fee shall be deposited by the department into the General Fund.
(3)The department shall receive General Fund moneys for the costs incurred pursuant to this section subject to an appropriation by the Legislature.
(4)The department shall adopt regulations necessary to effectuate this section, including emergency regulations, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of
Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).
(5)The department shall maintain an automated database of all registrants. Each local law enforcement agency shall notify the department of any arrests or investigation that may result in an administrative or criminal action against a registrant. The department may audit the records and other documents of a registrant to ensure compliance with this section.
(6)Once registered, an eligible organization must file annually thereafter with the department a report that includes the following:
(A)The aggregate gross receipts from the operation of raffles.
(B)The aggregate direct costs incurred by the eligible organization from the operation of raffles.
(C)The charitable or beneficial purposes for which proceeds of the raffles were used, or identify the eligible recipient organization to which proceeds were directed, and the amount of those proceeds.
(7)The department shall annually furnish to registrants a form to collect this information.
(8)The registration and reporting provisions of this section do not apply to any religious corporation sole or other religious corporation or organization that holds property for religious purposes, to a cemetery corporation regulated under Chapter 19 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, or to any committee as defined in Section 82013 that is required to and does file any statement pursuant to the provisions of Article 2 (commencing with Section 84200) of Chapter 4 of Title 9, or to a charitable corporation organized
and operated primarily as a religious organization, educational institution, hospital, or a health care service plan licensed pursuant to Section 1349 of the Health and Safety Code.
(i)The department may take legal action against a registrant if it determines that the registrant has violated this section or any regulation adopted pursuant to this section, or that the registrant has engaged in any conduct that is not in the best interests of the public’s health, safety, or general welfare. Any action taken pursuant to this subdivision does not prohibit the commencement of an administrative or criminal action by the Attorney General, a district attorney, city attorney, or county counsel.
(j)Each action and hearing conducted to deny, revoke, or suspend a registry, or other administrative action taken against a registrant shall be conducted pursuant to the Administrative Procedure
Act (Chapters 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400) and 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). The department may seek recovery of the costs incurred in investigating or prosecuting an action against a registrant or applicant in accordance with those procedures specified in Section 125.3 of the Business and Professions Code. A proceeding conducted under this subdivision is subject to judicial review pursuant to Section 1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(k)The Department of Justice shall conduct a study and report to the Legislature by December 31, 2003, on the impact of this section on raffle practices in California. Specifically, the study shall include, but not be limited to, information on whether the number of raffles has increased, the amount of money raised through raffles and whether this amount has increased, whether there are consumer complaints, and whether there is increased
fraud in the operation of raffles.
(l)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2001.
(m)A raffle shall be exempt from this section if it satisfies all of the following requirements:
(1)It involves a general and indiscriminate distribution of the tickets.
(2)The tickets are offered on the same terms and conditions as the tickets for which a donation is given.
(3)The scheme does not require any of the participants to pay for a chance to win.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 584, Sec. 3. (SB 451) Effective January 1, 2026.
(a)For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1)“Charitable purposes” excludes purposes that are intended to benefit officers, directors, or members, as defined by Section 5056 of the Corporations Code, of the eligible organization.
(2)“Eligible organization” means a private, nonprofit organization established by, or affiliated with, a team from the Major League
Baseball, National Hockey League, National Basketball Association, National Football League, Women’s National Basketball Association, or Major League Soccer, or a private, nonprofit organization established by the Professional Golfers’ Association of America, Ladies Professional Golf Association, or National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing that has been qualified to conduct business in California for at least one year before conducting a raffle, is qualified for an exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and is exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 23701a, 23701b, 23701d, 23701e, 23701f, 23701g, 23701k, 23701l, 23701t, or 23701w of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(3)“Raffle” means a scheme for the distribution of prizes by chance among persons who have paid money for paper tickets that provide the
opportunity to win these prizes, in which all of the following are true:
(A)Each ticket sold contains a unique and matching identifier.
(B)(i) Winners of the prizes are determined by a manual draw from tickets described in subparagraph (A) that have been sold for entry in the manual draw.
(ii) An electronic device may be used to sell tickets. The ticket receipt issued by the electronic device to the purchaser may include more than one unique and matching identifier, representative of and matched to the number of tickets purchased in a single transaction.
(iii) A random number generator is not used for the manual draw or to sell tickets.
(iv) The prize paid to the
winner is comprised of one-half or 50 percent of the gross receipts generated from the sale of raffle tickets for a raffle.
(C)The manual draw is conducted in California under the supervision of a natural person who meets all of the following requirements:
(i)The person is 18 years of age or older.
(ii) The person is affiliated with the eligible organization conducting the raffle.
(iii) The person is registered with the Department of Justice pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (n).
(D) (i) Fifty percent of the gross receipts generated from the sale of raffle tickets for any given manual draw are used by the eligible organization conducting the raffle solely for
charitable purposes, or used to benefit another private, nonprofit organization, provided that an organization receiving these funds is itself an eligible organization as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 320.5. Funds raised by raffles conducted pursuant to this section shall not be used to fund any beneficial, charitable, or other purpose outside of California. This section does not preclude an eligible organization from using funds from sources other than the sale of raffle tickets to pay for the administration or other costs of conducting a raffle if these expenses comply with legal standard of care requirements described in Sections 5231, 7231, and 9241 of the Corporations Code.
(ii) An employee of an eligible organization who is a direct seller of raffle tickets shall not be treated as an employee for purposes of workers’ compensation under Section 3351 of the Labor Code if both of the following conditions are satisfied:
(I) Substantially all of the remuneration, whether or not paid in cash, for the performance of the service of selling raffle tickets is directly related to sales rather than to the number of hours worked.
(II) The services performed by the person are performed pursuant to a written contract between the seller and the eligible organization and the contract provides that the person will not be treated as an employee with respect to the selling of raffle tickets for workers’ compensation purposes.
(iii) For purposes of this section, an employee selling raffle tickets shall be deemed to be a direct seller, as described in Section 650 of the Unemployment Insurance Code, as long as the employee meets the requirements of that section.
(b)Notwithstanding Section 320.5, this section applies to an eligible organization.
(c)A raffle that is conducted by an eligible organization for the purpose of directly supporting beneficial or charitable purposes or financially supporting another private, nonprofit eligible organization, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 320.5, that performs beneficial or charitable purposes may be conducted in accordance with this section.
(d)A person who receives compensation in connection with the operation of the raffle shall be an employee of the eligible organization that is conducting the raffle, and in no event may compensation be paid from revenues required to be dedicated to beneficial or charitable purposes.
(e)A raffle ticket shall not be sold in exchange for
Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency.
(f)A raffle that is otherwise permitted under this section shall not be conducted by means of, or otherwise utilize, any gaming machine that meets the definition of slot machine contained in Section 330a, 330b, or 330.1.
(g)(1) A raffle otherwise permitted under this
section shall not be conducted, nor may tickets for a raffle be sold, within an operating satellite wagering facility or racetrack inclosure licensed pursuant to the Horse Racing Law (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 19400) of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code) or within a gambling establishment licensed pursuant to the Gambling Control Act (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 19800) of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code).
(2)A raffle shall not be operated or conducted in any manner over the internet, nor may raffle tickets be sold, traded, or redeemed over the internet. For purposes of this paragraph, an eligible organization shall not be deemed to operate or conduct a raffle over the internet, or sell raffle tickets over the internet, if the eligible organization advertises its raffle on the internet or permits others to do so. Information that may be conveyed on an internet website pursuant to this paragraph
includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(A)Lists, descriptions, photographs, or videos of the raffle prizes.
(B)Lists of the prize winners.
(C)The rules of the raffle.
(D)Frequently asked questions and their answers.
(E)Raffle entry forms, which may be downloaded from the internet website for manual completion by raffle ticket purchasers, but shall not be submitted to the eligible organization through the internet.
(F)Raffle contact information, including the eligible organization’s name, address, telephone number, facsimile number, or email address.
(h)An individual, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity shall not hold a financial interest in the conduct of a raffle, except the eligible organization that is itself authorized to conduct that raffle, and any private, nonprofit, eligible organizations receiving financial support from that charitable organization pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) and subdivision (c).
(i)(1) An eligible organization may conduct a major league sports raffle only at a home
game, or a championship game if held at the designated venue where an affiliated sports team plays their home games.
(2)An eligible organization shall not conduct more than one major league sports raffle per game.
(j)An employee shall not sell raffle tickets in any seating area designated as a family section.
(k)An eligible organization shall disclose to all ticket purchasers the designated private, nonprofit, eligible organization for which the raffle is being conducted.
(l)An eligible organization that conducts a raffle to financially support another private, nonprofit eligible organization, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 320.5, shall distribute all proceeds not paid out to the winners of the prizes to the private, nonprofit organization within 15 days of conducting the raffle, in accordance
with this section.
(m)Any raffle prize remaining unclaimed by a winner at the end of the season for a team with an affiliated eligible organization that conducted a raffle to financially support another private, nonprofit eligible organization, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 320.5, shall be donated within 30 days from the end of the season by the eligible organization to the designated private, nonprofit organization for which the raffle was conducted.
(n)(1) (A) An eligible organization shall not conduct a raffle authorized under this section, unless it has a valid registration issued by the Department of Justice. The department shall furnish a registration form via the internet or upon request to eligible nonprofit organizations. The department shall, by regulation, collect only the information necessary to carry out the provisions of this section on this form. This information shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(i)The name and address of the eligible organization.
(ii) The federal tax identification number, the corporate number issued by the Secretary of State, the organization number issued
by the Franchise Tax Board, or the California charitable trust identification number of the eligible organization.
(iii) The name and title of a responsible fiduciary of the organization.
(B) (i) The department may require an eligible organization to pay a minimum annual registration fee of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) to cover the reasonable costs of the department to administer and enforce this section.
(ii) An eligible organization shall pay, in addition to the annual registration application fee, two hundred dollars ($200) for every individual raffle conducted at an eligible location to cover the reasonable costs of the department to administer and enforce this section. This fee shall be submitted in conjunction with the annual registration form.
(2)(A) A manufacturer or distributor of raffle-related products or services shall not conduct business with an eligible organization for purposes of conducting a raffle pursuant to this section unless the manufacturer or distributor has a valid annual registration issued by the department.
(B)The department may require a manufacturer or distributor of raffle-related products or services to pay a minimum annual registration fee of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) to cover the reasonable costs of the department to administer and enforce this section.
(3)An eligible organization shall register the equipment used in the sale and distribution of raffle tickets, and shall have the equipment tested by an independent gaming testing lab.
(4)(A) A person affiliated with an eligible organization who conducts the manual draw shall annually register with the department.
(B)The department may require a person affiliated with an eligible organization who conducts the manual draw to pay a minimum annual registration fee of twenty dollars ($20) to cover the reasonable costs of the department to administer and enforce this section.
(5)(A) The department may, by regulation, adjust the annual registration fees described in this section as needed to ensure that revenues will fully offset, but not exceed, the reasonable costs incurred by the department pursuant to this section. The fees shall be deposited by the department into the Major League Sporting Event Raffle Fund, which is hereby created in the State Treasury.
(B)A loan is hereby authorized from the General Fund to the Major League Sporting Event Raffle Fund on or after July 1, 2016, in an amount of up to one million five thousand dollars ($1,005,000) to address department workload related to the initial implementation activities relating to this section by the department’s Indian and Gaming Law Section. The terms and conditions of the loan shall first be approved by the Department of Finance pursuant to appropriate fiscal standards. The loan shall be subject to all of the following conditions:
(i)Of the total amount loaned, no more than three hundred thirty-five thousand dollars ($335,000) shall be provided annually to the department.
(ii) The loan shall be repaid to the General Fund as soon as there is sufficient money in the Major League Sporting Event Raffle Fund to repay
the loan, but no later than December 31, 2023.
(iii) Interest on the loan shall be paid from the Major League Sporting Event Raffle Fund at the rate accruing to moneys in the Pooled Money Investment Account.
(6)The department shall receive moneys for the costs incurred pursuant to this section subject to an appropriation by the Legislature.
(7)The department shall adopt regulations necessary to effectuate this section, including emergency regulations, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).
(8)The department shall maintain an automated database of all registrants.
(9)A local
law enforcement agency shall notify the department of any arrests or investigation that may result in an administrative or criminal action against a registrant.
(10)The department may, to the extent the Legislature appropriates funds for this purpose, investigate all suspected violations of this section or any regulation adopted pursuant to this section, or any activity that the registrant has engaged in that is not in the best interests of the public’s health, safety, or general welfare as it pertains to charitable raffles.
(11)The department may, to the extent the Legislature appropriates funds for this purpose, audit the records and other documents of a registrant to ensure compliance with this section.
(12)Once registered, an eligible organization shall post all of the following information on either its
internet website or the affiliated sport team’s internet website for each raffle:
(A)The gross receipts generated from the sale of raffle tickets.
(B)Each eligible recipient organization and the amount each eligible recipient organization received.
(C)The prize total.
(D)The winning ticket number and whether the prize was claimed.
(13)(A) Once registered, an eligible organization shall file with the department, each season or year thereafter, a report that includes all of the following information:
(i)For each raffle, all of the following information:
(I) The gross receipts generated from the sale of raffle tickets.
(II) Each eligible recipient organization and the amount each eligible recipient organization received.
(III) The prize total.
(IV) The winning ticket number and whether the prize was claimed.
(ii) The total number of raffles conducted for the season or year.
(iii) The gross receipts generated from the sale of raffle tickets for the season or year.
(iv) The average per raffle gross receipts generated from the sale of raffle tickets for the season or year.
(v)The prize total for the season or year, including any prize that was not claimed.
(vi) The average per raffle prize total for the season or year, including any prize that was not claimed.
(vii) The prize total that was not claimed, if any, during the season or year. For each raffle in which the prize was not claimed, the name of the eligible recipient organization who received the prize.
(viii) A schedule of all vendors used to operate the raffles and total payments made to each vendor.
(ix) An itemization of the direct costs of conducting the raffles, including labor, raffle equipment, software, marketing, and consulting costs.
(B) Failure to timely submit the seasonal or annual report to the department, as required in this paragraph, shall be grounds for denial of an annual registration and for the imposition of penalties under Section 12591.1 of the Government Code.
(C) Failure to submit a complete financial report shall be grounds for the denial of an annual registration and for the imposition of penalties under Section 12591.1 of the Government Code if the filer does not resubmit a complete form within 30 days of receiving a notice of incomplete filing.
(D) (i) An eligible organization shall file with the department and post on either its internet website or the affiliated sport team’s internet website the report required by this paragraph no later than 60 days after the end of the league season or year.
(ii) The department shall post the reports required by this paragraph on its internet website, but shall not post the report on the online search portal of the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts maintained pursuant to Section 12584 of the Government Code.
(14)The department shall annually furnish to registrants a form to collect this information.
(o)The department may take legal action against a registrant if it determines that the registrant has violated this section or a regulation adopted pursuant to this section, or that the registrant has engaged in any conduct that is not
in the best interests of the public’s health, safety, or general welfare. An action taken pursuant to this subdivision does not prohibit the commencement of an administrative or criminal action by the Attorney General, a district attorney, city attorney, or county counsel.
(p)An action and hearing conducted to deny, revoke, or suspend a registry, or other administrative action taken against a registrant, shall be conducted pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapters 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400) and 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). The department may seek civil remedies, including imposing
fines, for violations of this section, and may seek recovery of the costs incurred in investigating or prosecuting an action against a registrant or applicant in accordance with those procedures specified in Section 125.3 of the Business and Professions Code. A proceeding conducted under this subdivision is subject to judicial review pursuant to Section 1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure. A violation of this section shall not constitute a crime.
Every person who sells, gives, or in any manner whatever, furnishes or transfers to or for any other person any ticket, chance, share, or interest, or any paper, certificate, or instrument purporting or understood to be or to represent any ticket, chance, share, or interest in, or depending upon the event of any lottery, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Every person who aids or assists, either by printing, writing, advertising, publishing, or otherwise in setting up, managing, or drawing any lottery, or in selling or disposing of any ticket, chance, or share therein, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Every person who opens, sets up, or keeps, by himself or by any other person, any office or other place for the sale of, or for registering the number of any ticket in any lottery, or who, by printing, writing, or otherwise, advertises or publishes the setting up, opening, or using of any such office, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Every person who insures or receives any consideration for insuring for or against the drawing of any ticket in any lottery whatever, whether drawn or to be drawn within this State or not, or who receives any valuable consideration upon any agreement to repay any sum, or deliver the same, or any other property, if any lottery ticket or number of any ticket in any lottery shall prove fortunate or unfortunate, or shall be drawn or not be drawn, at any particular time or in any particular order, or who promises or agrees to pay any sum of money, or to deliver any goods, things in action, or property, or to forbear to do anything for the benefit of any person, with or without consideration, upon any
event or contingency dependent on the drawing of any ticket in any lottery, or who publishes any notice or proposal of any of the purposes aforesaid, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Amended by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1257.
All moneys and property offered for sale or distribution in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter are forfeited to the state, and may be recovered by information filed, or by an action brought by the Attorney General, or by any district attorney, in the name of the state. Upon the filing of the information or complaint, the clerk of the court must issue an attachment against the property mentioned in the complaint or information, which attachment has the same force and effect against such property, and is issued in the same manner as attachments issued from the superior courts in civil cases.
Every person who lets, or permits to be used, any building or vessel, or any portion thereof, knowing that it is to be used for setting up, managing, or drawing any lottery, or for the purpose of selling or disposing of lottery tickets, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 76, Sec. 5. (SB 860) Effective January 1, 2026.
(a)Neither the prohibition on gambling in this chapter nor in Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 330) applies to any bingo game that is conducted in a city, county, or city and county pursuant to an ordinance enacted under Section 19 of Article IV of the State Constitution, if the ordinance allows games to be conducted only in accordance with this section and only by organizations exempted from the payment of the bank and corporation tax by Sections 23701a, 23701b, 23701d, 23701e, 23701f, 23701g, 23701k, 23701w, and 23701l of the Revenue and Taxation Code and by mobilehome park associations, senior citizens organizations, and charitable organizations affiliated with a school district; and if the receipts of those games are used only for charitable purposes.
(b)It is a misdemeanor for any person to receive or pay a profit, wage, or salary from any bingo game authorized by Section 19 of Article IV of the State Constitution. Security personnel employed by the organization conducting the bingo game may be paid from the revenues of bingo games, as provided in subdivisions (j) and (k).
(c)A violation of subdivision (b) shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000), which fine is deposited in the general fund of the city, county, or city and county that enacted the ordinance authorizing the bingo game. A violation of any provision of this section, other than subdivision (b), is a misdemeanor.
(d)The city, county, or city and county that enacted the ordinance authorizing the bingo game may bring an action to enjoin a violation of this section.
(e)Minors shall not be allowed to participate in any bingo game.
(f)An organization authorized to conduct bingo games pursuant to subdivision (a) shall conduct a bingo game only on property owned or leased by it, or property whose use is donated to the organization, and which property is used by that organization for an office or for performance of the purposes for which the organization is organized. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to require that the property owned or leased by, or whose use is donated to, the organization be used or leased exclusively by, or donated exclusively to, that organization.
(g)All bingo games shall be open to the public, not just to the members of the authorized organization.
(h)A bingo game shall be operated and staffed only by members of the authorized
organization that organized it. Those members shall not receive a profit, wage, or salary from any bingo game. Only the organization authorized to conduct a bingo game shall operate such a game, or participate in the promotion, supervision, or any other phase of a bingo game. This subdivision does not preclude the employment of security personnel who are not members of the authorized organization at a bingo game by the organization conducting the game.
(i)Any individual, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity, except the organization authorized to conduct a bingo game, shall not hold a financial interest in the conduct of a bingo game.
(j)With respect to organizations exempt from payment of the bank and corporation tax by Section 23701d of the Revenue and Taxation Code, all profits derived from a bingo game shall be kept in a special fund or account and shall not be
commingled with any other fund or account. Those profits shall be used only for charitable purposes.
(k)With respect to other organizations authorized to conduct bingo games pursuant to this section, all proceeds derived from a bingo game shall be kept in a special fund or account and shall not be commingled with any other fund or account. Proceeds are the receipts of bingo games conducted by organizations not within subdivision (j). Those proceeds shall be used only for charitable purposes, except as follows:
(1)The proceeds may be used for prizes.
(2)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (C), the portion of the proceeds that may be used for the rental of property and for overhead, including the purchase of bingo equipment, administrative expenses, security equipment, and security personnel
shall be the lower of either of the following:
(i)Twenty percent of the proceeds before the deduction for prizes.
(ii) Beginning January 1, 2025, three thousand dollars ($3,000) per month, increased annually by the annual average percentage in the Consumer Price Index for the preceding calendar year.
(B) For the purposes of this subdivision, the term “Consumer Price Index” means the California Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers published by the Department of Industrial Relations.
(C) For the purposes of bingo games conducted by the Lake Elsinore Elks Lodge, a portion of the proceeds, not to exceed 20 percent of the proceeds before the deduction for prizes, or three thousand dollars ($3,000) per month, whichever is less, may be used for the
rental of property and for overhead, including the purchase of bingo equipment, administrative expenses, security equipment, and security personnel. Any amount of the proceeds that is additional to that permitted under subparagraph (A), up to one thousand dollars ($1,000), shall be used for the purpose of financing the rebuilding of the facility and the replacement of equipment that was destroyed by fire in 2007. The exception to subparagraph (A) that is provided by this subparagraph shall remain in effect only until the cost of rebuilding the facility is repaid, or January 1, 2019, whichever occurs first.
(3)The proceeds may be used to pay license fees.
(4)A city, county, or city and county that enacts an ordinance permitting bingo games may specify in the ordinance that if the monthly gross receipts from bingo games of an organization within this subdivision exceed five
thousand dollars ($5,000), a minimum percentage of the proceeds shall be used only for charitable purposes not relating to the conducting of bingo games and that the balance shall be used for prizes, rental of property, overhead, administrative expenses, and payment of license fees. The amount of proceeds used for rental of property, overhead, and administrative expenses is subject to the limitations specified in paragraph (2).
(l)(1) A city, county, or city and county may impose a license fee on each organization that it authorizes to conduct bingo games. The fee, whether for the initial license or renewal, shall not exceed fifty dollars ($50) annually, except as provided in paragraph (2). If an application for a license is denied, one-half of any license fee paid shall be refunded to the organization.
(2)In lieu of the license fee permitted under
paragraph (1), a city, county, or city and county may impose a license fee of fifty dollars ($50) paid upon application. If an application for a license is denied, one-half of the application fee shall be refunded to the organization. An additional fee for law enforcement and public safety costs incurred by the city, county, or city and county that are directly related to bingo activities may be imposed and shall be collected monthly by the city, county, or city and county issuing the license; however, the fee shall not exceed the actual costs incurred in providing the service.
(m)A person shall not be allowed to participate in a bingo game, unless the person is physically present at the time and place where the bingo game is being conducted.
(n)The total value of prizes available to be awarded during the conduct of any bingo games shall not exceed five hundred dollars ($500) in
cash or kind, or both, for each separate game which is held.
(o)As used in this section, “bingo” means a game of chance in which prizes are awarded on the basis of designated numbers or symbols that are marked or covered by the player on a tangible card in the player’s possession and that conform to numbers or symbols, selected at random and announced by a live caller. Notwithstanding Section 330c, as used in this section, the game of bingo includes tangible cards having numbers or symbols that are concealed and preprinted in a manner providing for distribution of prizes. Electronics or video displays shall not be used in connection with the game of bingo, except in connection with the caller’s drawing of numbers or symbols and the public display of that drawing, and except as provided in subdivision (p). The winning cards shall not be known prior to the game by any person participating in the playing or operation of the bingo game. All
preprinted cards shall bear the legend, “for sale or use only in a bingo game authorized under California law and pursuant to local ordinance.” Only a covered or marked tangible card possessed by a player and presented to an attendant may be used to claim a prize. It is the intention of the Legislature that bingo as defined in this subdivision applies exclusively to this section and shall not be applied in the construction or enforcement of any other provision of law.
(p)(1) Players who are physically present at a bingo game may use hand-held, portable card-minding devices, as described in this subdivision, to assist in monitoring the numbers or symbols announced by a live caller as those numbers or symbols are called in a live game. Card-minding devices may not be used in connection with any game where a bingo card may be sold or distributed after the start of the ball draw for that game. A card-minding device shall do
all of the following:
(A) Be capable of storing in the memory of the device bingo faces of tangible cards purchased by a player.
(B) Provide a means for bingo players to input manually each individual number or symbol announced by a live caller.
(C) Compare the numbers or symbols entered by the player to the bingo faces previously stored in the memory of the device.
(D) Identify winning bingo patterns that exist on the stored bingo faces.
(2)A card-minding device shall perform no functions involving the play of the game other than those described in paragraph (1). Card-minding devices shall not do any of the following:
(A)Be capable of accepting or dispensing any coins, currency, or other representative of value or on which value has been encoded.
(B)Be capable of monitoring any bingo card face other than the faces of the tangible bingo card or cards purchased by the player for that game.
(C)Display or represent the game result through any means, including, but not limited to, video or mechanical reels or other slot machine or casino game themes, other than highlighting the winning numbers or symbols marked or covered on the tangible bingo cards or giving an audio alert that the player’s card has a prize-winning pattern.
(D)Determine the outcome of any game or be physically or electronically connected to any component that determines the outcome of a game or to any other bingo equipment, including, but not limited
to, the ball call station, or to any other card-minding device. No other player-operated or player-activated electronic or electromechanical device or equipment is permitted to be used in connection with a bingo game.
Amended by Stats. 1989, Ch. 436, Sec. 2.
Every person who contrives, prepares, sets up, proposes, or operates any endless chain is guilty of a public offense, and is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year or in state prison for 16 months, two, or three years.
As used in this section, an “endless chain” means any scheme for the disposal or distribution of property whereby a participant pays a valuable consideration for the chance to receive compensation for introducing one or more additional persons into participation in the scheme or for the chance to receive compensation when a person introduced by the participant introduces a
new participant. Compensation, as used in this section, does not mean or include payment based upon sales made to persons who are not participants in the scheme and who are not purchasing in order to participate in the scheme.
Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 496, Sec. 1. (SB 1523) Effective January 1, 2025.
(a)This chapter does not make unlawful the printing or other production of any advertisements for, or any ticket, chance, or share in a lottery conducted in any other state or nation where such lottery is not prohibited by the laws of such state or nation; or the sale of such materials by the manufacturer thereof to any person or entity conducting or participating in the conduct of such a lottery in any such state or nation.
(b)This chapter does not make unlawful the placement or operation of, or communication to and from, equipment located in the State of California associated with the hosting of lottery games duly authorized by another state or jurisdiction provided that persons wagering on those games are required by the laws or regulations of the other state or jurisdiction to be physically located within the geographic bounds of that other state or jurisdiction at the time the wager is initiated or placed.
(c)This section does not authorize any advertisement within California relating to lotteries, the sale or resale within California of lottery tickets, chances, or shares to individuals, or acts otherwise in violation of any laws of the state.
Added by Stats. 1989, Ch. 897, Sec. 19.
Upon a trial for the violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, it is not necessary to prove the existence of any lottery in which any lottery ticket purports to have been issued, or to prove the actual signing of any such ticket or share, or pretended ticket or share, of any pretended lottery, nor that any lottery ticket, share, or interest was signed or issued by the authority of any manager, or of any person assuming to have authority as manager; but in all cases proof of the sale, furnishing, bartering, or procuring of any ticket, share, or interest therein, or of any instrument purporting to be a ticket, or part or share of any such ticket, is
evidence that such share or interest was signed and issued according to the purport thereof.