Chapter 5.04 — BINGO

Editor's note— Ord. No. 558.13, §§ 1—16, adopted June 22, 2010, amended chapter 5.04 in its entirety to read as herein set out. Former chapter 5.04, §§ 5.04.010—5.04.130, pertained to similar subject matter, and derived from Ord. No. 558.12, § 1, 2002; Ord. No. 802, § 1b, 2000; Ord. No. 558.11, 2000; Ord. No. 558.9, §§ 1—13, 1995.

This chapter is intended to authorize, license and regulate traditional and remote caller bingo games in the unincorporated area of the County of Riverside.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 1, 6-22-2010)

This chapter is adopted pursuant to Article IV, Section 19(c) of the California Constitution and Penal Code Section 326.5. All references to Penal Code sections set forth in this chapter include those sections as may be amended from time to time.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 2, 6-22-2010; Ord. No. 558.14, § 1, 11-18-2025)

Bingo games, as defined in Penal Code Section 326.5(o), may lawfully be played within the unincorporated areas of the County of Riverside pursuant to provisions of Penal Code Section 326.5 and this chapter, and not otherwise.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 3, 6-22-2010; Ord. No. 558.14, § 2, 11-18-2025)

A.

A bingo license must first be obtained from the County of Riverside before conducting a bingo game.

B.

It shall be unlawful for:

Any organization to conduct a bingo game in the unincorporated area of the County of Riverside unless such organization is a qualified organization as set forth in section 5.04.050 and has first obtained a license as required by section 5.04.040.A. of this chapter;

Any person to conduct a bingo in the unincorporated area of the County of Riverside unless such person is a member of a qualified organization as set forth in section 5.04.050 of this chapter and is acting on behalf of such qualified organization that has been issued a license as provided by section 5.04.040.A. of this chapter; or,

Any person leasing, owning or in possession of real property to permit or allow their property to be used to conduct bingo games in the unincorporated area of the County of Riverside unless the bingo games are

being conducted by a qualified organization pursuant to a license in accordance with this chapter.

C.

For the purpose of this chapter, the term "person" means any natural person, firm, association, club, organization, corporation, partnership, business trust, company or other entity which is recognized by law as the subject of rights or duties.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 4, 6-22-2010; Ord. No. 558.14, § 3, 11-18-2025)

A.

The following are "qualified organizations" which may apply to the Sheriff of Riverside County for a license to conduct bingo games:

(1)

An organization exempt from the payment of the bank and corporation tax by Revenue and Tax Code Sections 23701a, 23701b, 23701d, 23701e, 23701f, 23701g, 23701k), 23701l or 23701w;

(2)

A mobile home park association;

(3)

A senior citizens organization; and,

(4)

Charitable organizations affiliated with a school district.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 5, 6-22-2010; Ord. No. 558.14, § 4, 11-18-2025)

A.

Applications for a bingo license or a renewal thereof shall be filed with the office of the Sheriff of Riverside County on forms prescribed by the sheriff and shall be signed under penalty of perjury.

B.

A separate application must be completed for each property location where bingo will be conducted.

C.

The qualified organization shall designate a person as having fiduciary responsibility for the game.

D.

An application shall not be filed unless the applicant is a qualified organization which has owned or leased property, or has property whose use is donated to it, within the unincorporated area of Riverside County that:

Was used by the applicant for the performance of the purposes for which it is organized, for at least twelve (12) months immediately preceding the filing of such application; and

The property upon which the bingo game is to be conducted is property so owned or leased by, or whose use is donated to, the applicant.

E.

An application shall be filed:

Not less than thirty (30) days prior to the proposed date of the bingo game; and,

Not later than thirty (30) days after obtaining written verification from the Riverside County Planning Department confirming that:

(A)

There is improved vehicular access to the premises where the bingo game is to be conducted; and

(B)

Such premises contain off-street vehicle parking facilities at a minimum ratio of not less than one parking space for each two seats (one seat is defined as an area of seven and one-half square feet); and,

Not later than thirty (30) days after obtaining written verification from the Riverside County Building and Safety Department that the bingo operation complies with Riverside County Ordinance Nos. 457 and 787.

F.

The application shall be accompanied by any information reasonably necessary to permit the sheriff or their designee to determine that the bingo operations and games will be conducted in compliance with this chapter and all applicable state laws, county ordinances and regulations, including the following as applicable:

A certificate issued by the California Franchise Tax Board certifying that the applicant is exempted from the payment of the bank and corporation tax as set forth in section 5.04.040 A.1. of this chapter; and,

Any additional evidence as the sheriff or designee determines is necessary to verify that the applicant is a duly organized mobile home park association of a mobile home park situated in the unincorporated area of the county.

G.

The sheriff may investigate the truth of the matters set forth in the application and submittals and the character of the applicant and may inspect the premises to be used for the bingo operations and games. The sheriff may make inquiries to any office or department of the County of Riverside and to any state or federal agencies in the sheriffs discretion in order to carry out a proper investigation of applicant and the organization.

H.

A license shall not be granted until the sheriff or designee has verified the facts stated in the application and determined that the applicant is qualified.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 6, 6-22-2010; Ord. No. 558.14, §§ 5—9, 11-18-2025)

A separate application and fee is required for each property location where a bingo game will be conducted.

A.

The application fee for a bingo license shall be fifty dollars ($50.00) and shall accompany the filing of each application.

B.

An additional fee of ninety dollars ($90.00) for law enforcement and public safety costs incurred by the county that are directly related to bingo activities shall accompany the filing of each application.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 7, 6-22-2010; Ord. No. 558.14, § 10, 11-18-2025)

A.

A bingo license shall expire twelve (12) months after the date of issuance.

B.

A new license or renewal shall only be granted on the filing of a new application and the deposit of the required application fees.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 8, 6-22-2010; Ord. No. 558.14, § 11, 11-18-2025)

The issuance of a license to an applicant creates no vested right on the part of the licensee to continue to offer bingo for play. The county board of supervisors expressly reserves the right to amend or repeal this chapter, or any provision thereof at any time. If this chapter or any provision thereof is repealed, all licenses issued pursuant to this chapter or provision thereof shall cease to be effective for any purpose on the effective date of the repealing legislation.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 9, 6-22-2010)

Each license issued hereunder shall be issued to a specified qualified organization to conduct a bingo game at a specified location and shall in no event be transferable from one organization to another or from one location to another.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 10, 6-22-2010)

A.

Any approval granted pursuant to this chapter shall be subject to the conditions contained in Penal Code Section 326.5 and each licensee shall comply with all applicable state and local laws and regulations.

B.

The licensed qualified organization is responsible for ensuring that the conditions of this chapter and Penal Code Section 326.5 are complied with by the organization and its officers and members. A violation of any one or more of those conditions or provisions shall constitute cause for the revocation of the license to conduct traditional or remote caller bingo games.

C.

A qualified organization shall conduct bingo games only on property owned or leased by it, or on property whose use is donated to such organization, and which property is used by such organization for an office or for the performance of the purposes for which the organization is organized. Nothing in this subsection 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, such organization.

D.

All bingo games shall be open to the public, not just to the members of the qualified organization.

E.

No person shall be allowed to participate in bingo games unless the person is physically present at the time and place where the bingo game is being conducted.

F.

No minors shall be allowed to participate in any bingo game.

G.

Bingo games shall be operated and staffed only by members of the licensed qualified organization. Only the licensed qualified organization shall operate the bingo game or participate in the promotion, supervision or any other phase of such game. Such organization shall have written policies incorporated in its constitution, articles, by-laws or other regulations setting forth the manner in which a person may become a member of the organization, and absent any such written policies, it shall be presumed that the organization has no members who may operate and staff a bingo game. This subdivision does not preclude the employment of security personnel, who are not members of the qualified organization, at a bingo game by the organization conducting the game.

H.

The receipts from the bingo games shall only be used for charitable purposes as set forth in Penal Code Section 326.5 and this chapter.

I.

No person shall receive or pay a profit, wage, salary or percentage from any bingo game authorized by this chapter.

J.

No individual, corporation, partnership or other legal entity, except the licensed qualified organization, shall hold a financial interest in the conduct of bingo games.

K.

The total value of prizes available to be awarded during the conduct of any bingo game shall not exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) in cash or kind, or both, for each separate game which is held.

L.

With respect to organizations exempt from payment of the bank and corporation tax by section 23701(d) 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. Such profits shall be used only for charitable purposes; that is, for the purposes for which such organizations are organized pursuant to their articles of incorporation or for purposes clearly incidental thereto. With respect to other organizations authorized to conduct bingo games pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, all proceeds derived from a bingo game shall be kept in a special fund and account and shall not be commingled with any other fund or account. Such proceeds shall be distributed to organizations that are tax exempt under section 23701(d) of the Revenue and Taxation Code to be used for charitable purposes as above defined, except as follows:

Such proceeds may be used for prizes.

A portion of such proceeds, not to exceed twenty (20) percent of the proceeds before the deduction for prizes, or two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) per month, whichever is less, may be used for rental of property, overhead, including the purchase of bingo equipment, administrative expenses, security equipment and security personnel.

The licensee shall keep full and complete accounting records supported by properly executed contracts, leases, receipts, and other related documents which pertain to all monies, or other forms of income, collected in connection with the conduct of any of its bingo games, disbursed for expenditures in connection therewith and remaining or distributed for charitable purposes. Such records shall be clearly identified and readily accessible. Officials of the County of Riverside shall have the right to examine and audit such records at any reasonable time, and the licensee shall fully cooperate with such officials by making such records available. At the end of any month during which any bingo game is conducted, the licensee shall file with the sheriff a full and complete financial statement of all monies collected and disbursed and the amount remaining or distributed for charitable purposes.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 11, 6-22-2010; Ord. No. 558.14, §§ 12—17, 11-18-2025)

Any peace officer of the County of Riverside shall have free access to any bingo game licensed under this chapter. The licensee shall have the bingo license, lists of approved staff and accounting documents relating to all monies collected, disbursed and distributed available to such peace officer for inspection at all times during any bingo game or during licensee's normal business hours.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 12, 6-22-2010)

A.

The sheriff or designee may deny an application for a bingo license upon a finding that:

(1)

The applicant does not fulfill the specific requirements for such license as set forth in this chapter; or

(2)

The applicant, or any agent or representative thereof, has knowingly made any false, misleading or fraudulent statement of a material fact in the application or any document in connection therewith; or

(3)

The applicant, or any of its members, is not of good moral character. If the applicant has, or any of its members have, been convicted of any felony under the laws of this state or has been previously convicted of an offense under the laws of any other state of the United States which offense if committed in this state

would have been punishable as a felony, it shall be presumed that the applicant is not of good moral character; or

(4)

The applicant is unfit to conduct bingo games.

B.

The sheriff or designee may suspend or revoke a license upon a finding that:

(1)

The licensee has, or any of its members have, violated any of the provisions of this chapter; or

(2)

The bingo game does or will not comport with the public welfare for any reason or that the bingo game has been conducted in an illegal, improper or disorderly manner, or in a manner substantially different from that described in the application, or for any reason for which the license application could have been denied;

(3)

If, after an investigation, the sheriff or designee determines that a bingo license should be suspended or revoked or that an application for such license be denied, he shall prepare a notice of suspension or revocation or denial of application setting forth the reasons for such suspension, revocation or denial. Such notice shall be served personally on the licensee or applicant, or sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested to the licensee's or applicant's last address as provided in the application.

D.

Any organization whose bingo license has been denied or revoked may not apply for a license to conduct any bingo games for a period of one year from the date notice of such denial or revocation was mailed to it, or if affirmed on appeal by the board of supervisors as provided in Section 5.04.140 of this chapter, from the date of such affirmation; provided, however, if the reason for revocation is cancellation of the exemption granted under sections 23701(a), 23701(b), 23701(e), 23701(f), 23701(g) and 23701(1) of the Revenue and Taxation Code, such organization may again apply for a bingo license upon proof of reinstatement of such exemption.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 13, 6-22-2010)

Any person who has had an application for a bingo license denied by the sheriff, or who has had a bingo license suspended or revoked by the sheriff, may appeal the decision by filing with the clerk of the board of supervisors, within fifteen (15) days after the date of such decision, a written notice of appeal briefly setting forth the reasons why such denial, suspension or revocation is not proper. Failure to timely file a written

notice of appeal shall be deemed a waiver of the right to appeal the decision of the sheriff. The clerk shall give written notice of the time and place of the hearing to the appellant.

Such appeal shall be heard by the board of supervisors which may affirm, amend or reverse the decision or take such other action as it deems appropriate. In conducting the hearing, the board of supervisors shall not be limited by the technical rules of evidence.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 14, 6-22-2010)

A.

It is a misdemeanor for any person to receive or pay a profit, wage, or salary from any remote caller bingo game. A violation of this subdivision shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00), which fine is deposited in the general fund of the county pursuant to Section 326.5(c) of the Penal Code.

B.

A violation of any provision of this chapter is a misdemeanor. However, any misdemeanor violation of this chapter may also be prosecuted as an infraction. Except as provided in subdivision a. of this section, any person convicted of a misdemeanor for violation of this chapter is punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or by imprisonment not to exceed six months, or both fine and imprisonment. Any person convicted of an infraction for violation of this chapter is punishable by a fine of not more than two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00).

C.

Any infraction violation of this chapter may be enforced by the administrative citation procedure set forth in Riverside County Ordinance No. 725.

D.

The county may also bring an action to enjoin or abate any violation of any provision of this chapter. Violations of this chapter are hereby declared to be a public nuisance. The prevailing party in such an action shall be authorized to recover their attorney fees and costs in accordance with Government Code section 25845. In no action, administrative proceeding, or special proceeding shall an award of attorneys' fees to a prevailing party exceed the amount of reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the county in the action or proceeding.

E.

All penalties and remedies provided for herein shall be cumulative and not exclusive. The conviction and punishment of any person hereunder shall not relieve such person from the responsibility of correcting or abating the violation, nor prevent the enforced correction or abatement thereof. Each and every day during any portion of which any violation of any provision of this chapter or the license, authorization or conditions of approval is committed, continued, or permitted by such person, shall be deemed a separate and distinct offense.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 15, 6-22-2010; Ord. No. 558.14, §§ 18—20, 11-18-2025)

The provisions of section 5.04.130 of this chapter are to be construed as added remedies and not in conflict or derogation of any other actions or proceedings or remedies otherwise provided by law.

(Ord. No. 558.13, § 16, 6-22-2010)