OAR 137-025-0030: Eligibility for Licenses in General

(1) Every applicant for a license to conduct bingo, raffle games, or Monte Carlo events must: (a) Be organized primarily for purposes other than the operation of bingo, raffle games, or Monte Carlo events; (b) Have a valid organizational governing structure, and the members of the governing structure must exercise independent control over the organization’s activities and budget; (c) Be exempt from the payment of federal income taxes and have held that exempt status for at least one year preceding its application for a license. The application must be accompanied by a copy of a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service, verifying tax exempt status or, if the organization qualifies for tax exempt status other than pursuant to IRC 501(c), a signed opinion letter from an attorney or certified public accountant stating that the organization holds tax exempt status and citing the relevant provisions of the Internal Revenue Code which support the tax exempt status. If an Internal Revenue Service determination letter is dated less than one year prior to the date of application to the Department, the applicant shall have the burden of demonstrating that it has met all organizational and operational tests for the exempt status and has been organized primarily for charitable, fraternal or religious purposes for a period of not less than one year prior to the date of the application. Any applicant that claims its tax exempt status through a ruling by the Internal Revenue Service as to its parent organization’s tax exempt status must demonstrate that it is covered by such a ruling. The applicant must have been chartered by the parent organization for a period of one year preceding its application for a license. (2) No joint license for conducting bingo, raffle games, or Monte Carlo events will be issued to two or more organizations. However, the Department may grant approval for a licensee to share the operation of the games with other organizations which would otherwise qualify for a license under section (1) of this rule. (3) Licenses to conduct bingo, raffle games, or Monte Carlo events may not be transferred or assigned. (4) A licensee shall promptly notify the Department if the licensee loses its federal tax exempt status. A license ceases to be valid if the licensee loses its tax exempt status.