TITLE 16
CRIMES AND OFFENSES
Section 12. Offenses Against Public Health and Morals, 16-12-1 through 16-12-191.
ARTICLE 2
GAMBLING AND RELATED OFFENSES
16-12-52. License required to operate bingo game; recreational bingo exception.
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Any other law to the contrary notwithstanding except for subsection (b) of this Code section, no nonprofit, tax-exempt organization shall be permitted to operate a bingo game until the director issues a license to the organization authorizing it to do so. In the event of any controversy concerning whether or not certain activity constitutes bingo for which a license may be issued, the decision of the director shall control. The license described in this Code section is in addition to and not in lieu of any other licenses which may be required by this state or any political subdivision thereof, and no bingo game shall be operated until such time as all requisite licenses have been obtained.
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Recreational bingo is a nonprofit bingo game or a bingo game operated by an employer with ten or more full-time employees for the purpose of providing a safe workplace incentive and shall not be subject to the licensing requirements and regulations provided in this part applicable to bingo games not considered recreational bingo and operated by nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations.
(Ga. L. 1977, p. 1164, § 2; Ga. L. 1980, p. 422, § 2; Ga. L. 1993, p. 535, § 3; Ga. L. 1994, p. 490, § 2; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1002, § 2.)
JUDICIAL DECISIONS
Georgia Constitution does not preclude imposition of license requirement.
St. John's Melkite Catholic Church v. Commissioner of Revenue, 240 Ga. 733, 242 S.E.2d 108 (1978).
Licensing requirement does not unreasonably burden right to operate bingo games.
- Since licensing requirement does not unreasonably burden right to operate bingo games by placing unreasonable restrictions on granting of licenses, there is no conflict between Ga. L. 1977, p. 1164,
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2 and Ga. Const. 1976, Art. I, Sec. II, Para. XI (see now Ga. Const. 1983, Art. I, Sec. II, Para. VIII). St. John's Melkite Catholic Church v. Commissioner of Revenue, 240 Ga. 733, 242 S.E.2d 108 (1978).
