2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 7 - Municipalities
Chapter 98 - Municipal Powers
Section 7-185a - Exceptions for certain organizations. “Fifty-fifty” coupon games. Cow-chip raffles. Teacup raffles. Duck-race raffles. Frog-race raffles. Golf ball-drop raffles.

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, and the regulations adopted thereunder, any organized church, volunteer fire company or veterans organization or association conducting a bazaar or raffle, (1) may have the actual drawing of the raffle in a municipality other than the municipality which grants the permit, provided the chief executive officer of the other municipality has in writing approved such drawing; (2) may conduct the bazaar in a municipality other than the municipality which grants the permit, provided the municipality in which the bazaar is to be conducted has adopted the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, and the chief executive officer of such municipality has in writing approved such bazaar; (3) may be permitted to redeem prizes in cash; (4) shall be exempt from the requirement of preserving unsold raffle tickets beyond ninety days after the conclusion of the holding, operating and conducting of such bazaar or raffle and shall be permitted to dispose of unclaimed prizes after such ninety days; and (5) may file a reconciliation of expenditures and receipts signed by an officer in lieu of an accountant.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, and the regulations adopted thereunder, any sponsoring organization qualified to conduct a bazaar or raffle under the provisions of section 7-172 and recognized as a nonprofit organization under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, may have the actual drawing of the raffle in a municipality other than the municipality which grants the permit, provided the chief executive officer of the other municipality has in writing approved such drawing.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 7-177, any organization conducting a bazaar may operate “fifty-fifty” coupon games each day of a permitted bazaar event and may award cash prizes of fifty per cent of “fifty-fifty” coupon game sales for each coupon drawing conducted. Not more than three scheduled drawings may be held on any day on which a bazaar is permitted. A “fifty-fifty” coupon game shall be operated from an authorized bazaar booth, subject to the regulation of the Commissioner of Consumer Protection and shall allow for the sale of “fifty-fifty” coupons at a predetermined uniform price. Each “fifty-fifty” coupon shall be consecutively numbered and shall have a correspondingly numbered stub. Each sponsoring organization shall provide different colored coupons for each drawing and shall award one prize for each drawing held. Each organization conducting such games shall conspicuously post, at each bazaar booth at which such games are conducted, a notice or notices which shall include the dates, times and places of any “fifty-fifty” coupon drawings, as well as the prices and colors of coupons to be sold for each drawing. The commissioner shall prescribe the form of such notice which shall contain the following statement: “Holders of coupons must be present to claim a prize.” Each such organization shall account for each coupon printed and sold for each drawing and shall announce the amount of sales and the prize to be awarded immediately prior to each drawing. The sponsoring organization shall preserve all sold and unsold coupons or stubs for a period of at least one year from the date of the verified statement required pursuant to section 7-182.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 7-177, any sponsoring organization qualified to conduct a bazaar or raffle under the provisions of section 7-172 may operate a cow-chip raffle once a calendar year and may award cash prizes in connection with participation in such a raffle, in addition to those prizes authorized pursuant to section 7-177. Such raffles shall conform to the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, and shall be subject to regulation by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection. A cow-chip raffle shall allow for the sale of consecutively numbered tickets with correspondingly numbered stubs, entitling the holders of such tickets to the temporary possession of a plot of land for purposes of the conduct of the cow-chip raffle. Each organization conducting a cow-chip raffle shall provide for a suitable land area on which the cow-chip raffle activity is to be conducted. The area shall be sufficiently enclosed so as to confine any animal utilized in the conduct of a cow-chip raffle during the period in which the animal is so utilized. The area shall be adequately marked so as to display the number of plots to be utilized, which shall correspond to the number of cow-chip raffle tickets to be sold. The manner in which winners in a cow-chip raffle are determined shall be clearly stated prior to the commencement of a cow-chip raffle drawing and each sponsoring organization shall conspicuously post an information board which shall display the consecutively numbered plots of the cow-chip raffle event. A cow-chip raffle drawing shall commence at a designated time and shall continue until all winners of authorized prizes have been determined. No person may feed, lead or handle any animal utilized in a cow-chip raffle once the animal has entered into the enclosed area from which winners will be determined. Each organization conducting a cow-chip raffle shall deposit all proceeds from the conduct of such raffle in a special checking account established and maintained by such organization, which shall be subject to audit by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection. Any expense incidental to the conduct of such raffle shall be paid from the gross receipts of cow-chip raffle tickets and only by checks drawn from such checking account. All cash prizes awarded shall be paid from such checking account.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, and the regulations adopted pursuant to said sections, any organization conducting a bazaar may operate a “teacup raffle” and may, through the sale of chances, award prizes consisting of gift certificates or merchandise. No such organization may conduct more than one scheduled “teacup raffle” drawing for all prizes offered on any day on which a bazaar is permitted. A “teacup raffle” shall be operated from an authorized bazaar booth, and shall be subject to regulation by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection. Each “teacup raffle” ticket shall (1) be consecutively numbered and have a correspondingly numbered stub that shall include the name, address and telephone number of the purchaser, or (2) be a sheet containing up to twenty-five coupons, each bearing the same number, and including a “hold” stub for the purchaser and a correspondingly numbered stub including the name, address and telephone number of the purchaser. Sheet tickets shall be made available for purchase by permittees as fund raising items at a price not to exceed ten per cent above the purchase price. Each sponsoring organization conducting such raffle shall conspicuously post, at each bazaar booth at which such raffle is conducted, a notice or notices that include the date and time of any “teacup raffle” drawing. The sponsoring organization shall preserve all sold and unsold tickets or stubs for a period of at least one year from the date of the verified statement required pursuant to section 7-182.

(f) (1) Any sponsoring organization qualified to conduct a bazaar or raffle under the provisions of section 7-172 may operate a duck-race raffle once each calendar year. Such raffles shall conform to the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, and shall be subject to regulation by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection. For the purpose of this subsection, “duck-race raffle” means a raffle in which artificial ducks, numbered consecutively to correspond with the number of tickets sold for such raffle, are placed in a naturally moving stream of water at a designated starting point and in which the ticket corresponding to the number of the first duck to pass a designated finishing point is the winning ticket. (2) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, with the advice and consent of the Gaming Policy Board, shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, that establish procedures for the operation of duck-race raffles.

(g) (1) Any sponsoring organization qualified to conduct a bazaar or raffle under the provisions of section 7-172 may operate a frog-race raffle once each calendar year. Such raffles shall conform to the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, and shall be subject to regulation by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection. For the purpose of this subsection, “frog-race raffle” means a raffle in which artificial frogs conforming to specifications approved by the commissioner and numbered consecutively to correspond with the number of tickets sold for such raffle, are placed in a naturally moving stream of water at a designated starting point and in which the ticket corresponding to the number of the first frog to pass a designated finishing point is the winning ticket. (2) The commissioner, with the advice and consent of the Gaming Policy Board, shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, that establish procedures for the operation of frog-race raffles.

(h) (1) Any sponsoring organization qualified to conduct a bazaar or raffle under the provisions of section 7-172 may operate a golf ball-drop raffle once each calendar year. Any such raffle shall conform to the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, and shall be subject to regulation by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection. For the purpose of this subsection, “golf ball-drop raffle” means a raffle in which golf balls, numbered consecutively to correspond with the number of tickets sold for such raffle, are dropped from a helicopter, hot air balloon or other aircraft hovering above a designated target, and in which the ticket corresponding to the number of the first golf ball to be closest to the center of the designated target is the winning ticket. (2) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, with the advice and consent of the Gaming Policy Board, shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, establishing procedures for the operation of golf ball-drop raffles.

(P.A. 73-54; P.A. 86-6; 86-403, S. 129, 132; 86-419, S. 2; P.A. 89-211, S. 7; 89-214, S. 13, 26; 89-282, S. 4, 5; P.A. 91-35, S. 1, 5; 91-291, S. 1, 2; P.A. 94-11; P.A. 95-59, S. 1, 3; Jan. 6 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-1, S. 4; P.A. 05-82, S. 1; P.A. 07-36, S. 8; P.A. 10-132, S. 1; P.A. 11-8, S. 7; 11-51, S. 182, 207; 11-226, S. 1, 3.)

History: P.A. 86-6 subdivided the section, adding Subsec. (b), authorizing certain charitable and educational organizations to have actual raffle drawing in a municipality not granting the permit; P.A. 86-403 changed effective date of P.A. 86-6 from October 1, 1986, to July 1, 1986; P.A. 86-419 added Subsec. (c) to permit any volunteer fire company conducting a bazaar to award cash prizes for “money-wheel” games; P.A. 89-211 clarified reference to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in Subsec. (b); P.A. 89-214 amended Subsec. (c) to permit any “organization or group specified in section 7-172” conducting a bazaar to award cash prizes for “money-wheel” games, deleting specific reference to any “volunteer fire company”; P.A. 89-282 added a new Subsec. (d), permitting any organization conducting a bazaar to operate “fifty-fifty” coupon games; P.A. 91-35 added Subsec. (e) re cow-chip raffles; P.A. 91-291 added Subsec. (f) re “teacup raffles”; P.A. 94-11 amended Subsec. (a) to authorize certain charitable organization to conduct bazaar in municipality not granting the permit if the municipality has adopted Secs. 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, and chief executive officer has approved bazaar in writing; P.A. 95-59 added Subsec. (g) authorizing duck-race raffles subject to regulations adopted by the executive director of Division of Special Revenue, effective May 31, 1995, and applicable to permit applications for duck-race raffles received by the Division of Special Revenue on and after the effective date of regulations adopted pursuant to this section; Jan. 6 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-1 deleted existing Subsec. (c) which had authorized any organization or group specified in Sec. 7-172 to award cash prizes not exceeding $25 each in connection with “money-wheel” games, and relettered existing Subsecs. (d) to (g) as (c) to (f), respectively, and made a technical change in new Subsec. (c), effective January 7, 2003; P.A. 05-82 added Subsec. (g) re frog-race raffles, effective June 2, 2005; P.A. 07-36 amended Subsec. (e) to make technical changes, add Subdiv. (1) designator and new Subdiv. (2) re “teacup raffle” tickets and add provision requiring division to be the sole issuer of sheet tickets at a price not to exceed 10% above the state purchase price; P.A. 10-132 amended Subsec. (e) to make a technical change, add provision authorizing award of gift certificates and increase maximum prize value from $100 to $250; P.A. 11-8 substituted “chief executive officer” for “first selectman” in Subsec. (c), effective May 24, 2011; P.A. 11-51 substituted “Commissioner of Consumer Protection” for “executive director of the Division of Special Revenue” and made conforming and technical changes throughout, amended Subsec. (c) by deleting requirement to furnish and file verified statement at conclusion of bazaar, amended Subsec. (d) by deleting Class No. 1, 2 and 4 permit references and by deleting plot plan application requirement and amended Subsec. (e) by deleting requirement re Division of Special Revenue being sole issuer of coupon sheet, effective July 1, 2011; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “executive director of the Division of Special Revenue” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Consumer Protection” in Subsec. (h), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-226 amended Subsec. (e) to delete $250 limit on teacup raffle prize amount and added Subsec. (h) permitting sponsoring organization qualified to conduct a bazaar or raffle to operate a golf ball-drop raffle once each calendar year.

Cited. 228 C. 375.