At all times, at least one of the persons designated (primary or alternate operator) by each licensed authorized organization must be an individual who has completed the Operator Training Program. After September 1, 2001, at least one of the persons designated as a primary or alternate operator must have completed the training within 24 months prior to the expiration date of the license.

Any organization that was newly licensed after September 1, 2001 must send at least one of the persons designated (primary or alternate operator) by the licensed authorized organization to an Operator Training Program within 12 months of the issue date on the conductor’s license.

Failure to comply with Rule 402.103 could subject the license to disciplinary action.

Did you know:

• Using the Bingo Hall Locator, you can search for and locate bingo games and bingo halls by city, county, zip code, licensed organization name, playing location name and days of the week? Additionally, the Bingo Hall Locator has a mapping feature which provides a handy map and driving directions to the playing location selected.

• Using the Statewide Financial Reports, you can find a variety of commonly-requested reports and information on quarterly reports, registered bingo workers, average attendance and conductor location/addresses?

• Using the Bingo Services Center, individuals associated with an active bingo license, may log-on and access detailed information about their bingo license(s) such as the status of pending applications, escrow account information, active individuals associated with the license and current bond information?

If you have not use the features of the Bingo Services Center, visit our website and try it today! If you have questions or need assistance, please call us at 1-800-246-4677, Select #1 for the Charitable Bingo Division, then select #6 to get assistance with any feature of the Bingo Services Center.

Starting with the first quarter of 2006, conductors, conductors who also hold lessor licenses, accounting units, and lessors will have the ability to complete and file quarterly reports electronically. As of April 28, 2006, 46 conductor organizations and 2 lessor organizations had opted to file their quarterly reports electronically. The electronic versions of the quarterly reports with incorporated schedules are located on our website in the Forms and Applications section.

The Automated Forms Manual has been enhanced and provides the user with the option of filing the quarterly report electronically or submitting a printed copy of the report to the Commission. If the Automated Forms Manual is used, only five fields have to be entered manually, they are: Line 14, Rent Income Received, Line 15, Approved Loans, Line 16, Bingo Interest Earned, Line 17, Merchandise Prizes Donated, and Line 36, Previous Proceeds Undistributed. Using the Automated Forms Manual will simplify the process of record keeping and the generation and filing of quarterly reports.

For the organizations that do not wish to use the Automated Forms Manual, quarterly reports can be completed and filed electronically simply by using the electronic version of the quarterly report that is available in Excel format. The only difference is that data must be entered manually, but the required calculations will be generated automatically.

Licensees are not required to file electronically.

Upon completion of the electronic quarterly report and incorporated schedules, the documents should be e-mailed to the Commission at bingo.reports@lottery.state.tx.us.  After the electronic quarterly report is completed the system will generate a payment coupon for conductors, conductor/lessors, and accounting units. Payment coupons are not generated for lessors—t he Texas Bingo Lessor’s Quarterly Report serves as a payment coupon for lessors. The payment coupon or Texas Bingo Lessor’s Quarterly Report must be printed and submitted with payment to the Commission.

Electronically filed quarterly reports and schedules, payment coupons and payment of prize fee and/or rental tax must be filed on or before the 25th day of the month following the end of the calendar quarter to be considered timely paid. 

We hope you find the electronic versions of the quarterly reports and Automated Forms Manual convenient and time saving. If you have any questions regarding this process please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

The Charitable Bingo Operations Division has begun introducing “ interactive” forms and applications which are available in addition to the print-only format.
The new Charitable Bingo interactive Portable Document Format (.pdf) applications can be completed electronically, printed, signed as applicable and then mailed into the Charitable Bingo Operations Division for processing. Currently, there are 73 different bingo forms available in the interactive format with more anticipated to be added each week. “Interactive” forms are available on the Charitable Bingo website by clicking on the interactive icon symbol . There is also a set of instructions and helpful hints available for using the new interactive forms on the website.

Charities across Texas can thank charitable bingo for bringing them distributions that total in excess of three-quarters of a billion dollars from 1982 through the second quarter of 2008. We've been tallying distributions to charities from bingo activities since 1982, when the first licenses to conduct bingo were issued. With over $8.6 million in distributions made in the second quarter of 2008, the total that charities have received since 1982 is now more than $884 million.

Charitable distributions derived from bingo activities in Texas benefit a broad spectrum of charities, from veteran groups to volunteer fire departments to libraries and numerous others.

   

Effective January 1, 2008, the interest rate on delinquent tax (prize fee and rental tax) is 8.25% (0.0825) per annum. Delinquent taxes accrue interest beginning 60 days after the due date.

The rate of interest is based on the prime rate plus one percent, as published in the Wall Street Journal on the first day of each calendar year, that is not Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday.