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Announcing the Online Operator Training Program!
The Charitable Bingo Operations Division announces the new
Online Operator Training Program tentatively scheduled to be activated
June 25, 2008
. Individuals listed as the primary operator or alternate operator on
a license to conduct bingo may take the required Operator Training Program online.
The link to the Online Operator Training Program will be on the home
page.
By clicking on the link you can access the following related to the
Online Operator Training Program: the course modules, required forms, and frequently asked
questions (FAQs) related to the online course. We encourage you to read FAQs before you begin the
online course.
As of August 12, 2008,
45 individuals have successfully completed the on-line operator training
program.
For more information, go to the Web site or contact the Charitable
Bingo Operations Division as follows:
Operator Training Reminder
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.
The remaining Bingo Advisory Committee meeting dates for 2008 has been tentatively
scheduled for:
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
All meetings are tentatively scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. in the first floor auditorium
of the Texas Lottery Commission at 611 E. 6th Street, Austin, Texas.
Commission Passes Administrative Rule
Actions
At the July 30, 2008 meeting of the Texas Lottery Commission, the Commission
proposed the following rules for publication in the
Texas Registry and a 30-day public
comment period:
Amendments
to 16 TAC §402.200 relating to General Restrictions on Conduct of Bingo.
New rule 16 TAC
§402.205 relating to Unit Agreements.
Amendments
to 16 TAC §402.400 relating to General Licensing Provisions.
New
rule 16 TAC §402.442 relating to Amendment to Commercial Lessor License.
The Commission will hold a
public hearing on this proposal at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 9, 2008, at
611 E. 6th Street, Austin, TX 78701.
Hurricane Dolly Disaster Area Quarterly Report Filing Extension
Information
As a result of Hurricane Dolly, the Charitable Bingo Operations Division is notifying licensed
charities located in the declared disaster area counties that they may request a 90-day extension
for filing their bingo quarterly report(s) and paying prize fees and/or retal taxes for the quarter
ending June 30, 2008. If your organization needs assistance with, or has questions about this
issue, please contact our office at 1-800-246-4677 or by E-mailing
bingo.services@lottery.state.tx.us.
Notice to Organizations That Participate in Unit
Accounting
If your organization is part of a unit, your organization may be impacted by the new
requirements for the margin tax. For further information, please check with your CPA or the Office
of the Texas Comptroller.
Commission Passes Administrative Rule
Actions
At the April 29, 2008 meeting of the Texas Lottery Commission, the Commission adopted the
following actions:
Adopted repeal of 16 TAC §402.705 relating to compliance review.
Adopted repeal of 16 TAC §402.406 relating to exemptions from licensing requirements.
Adopted new
rule 16 TAC §402.210 relating to
house rules.
These Charitable Bingo Administrative Rule actions should be available for review in the May 9,
2008 issue of the
Texas Register.
Announcing New Charitable Bingo Division
Structure
The Charitable Bingo Operations Division has a new
organizational structure effective April
1, 2008, to better utilize resources. The major change will be the creation of a
Taxpayer Services group that will be comprised of the former licensing services
section, the accounting services section, the special projects section, the program administrator,
administrative support and data entry. The other group,
Audit Services, will consist of all audit-related functions, audit regional
offices, a product testing section and a compliance section. The compliance section will consist of
inspectors which will be tasked with game observation, books and records reviews and other
regulatory compliance functions.
Announcement of Upcoming Vacancies on the Bingo Advisory
Committee
The Texas Lottery Commission is accepting nominations for
individuals to serve on the Bingo Advisory Committee (BAC). The terms of the three current
representatives
expires August 31, 2008.
The purpose of the BAC is to advise the Texas Lottery Commission
on the needs and problems of the state’s charitable bingo industry.
The BAC is composed of nine individuals representing the following
interest groups: the public, conductors that are not licensed commercial lessors, conductors
that are licensed commercial lessors, commercial lessors, system service providers, licensed
manufacturers, and licensed distributors. Each member is appointed for a three-year term. A
nominee may not be listed on the licensing information that is required to be filed with the
Commission in any other category than the one for which the person is nominated. Members do not
receive compensation for travel expenses.
All nominations must be submitted on the
nomination form. In addition to
the information required on the nomination form, nominees are encouraged to submit brief
biographical information and/or a resume, with the nomination form. The nomination form,
biographical information, and/or resume will be used by the Commission in making its decision. Only
nominations submitted on the nomination form will be accepted. Please do not submit multiple
nomination forms for one individual.
The three-member Commission makes the appointments to the BAC.
Appointment to the BAC is not based on a voting process but on the qualifications of the nominees,
based upon the nomination form and required documentation and/or resume, as determined by the
Commission. All appointees must undergo a criminal background investigation.
Nomination forms, biographical information, and/or resumes must be
submitted by
April 30, 2008. The nomination form and supplemental information may be submitted
by mail or fax as follows:
Charitable Bingo Operations Division
Texas Lottery Commission
P O Box 16630
Austin, TX78761-6630
FAX: (512) 344-5142
Commission Approved the 2007-2008 Bingo Advisory Work Plan
At the August 22, 2007 meeting of the Texas Lottery Commission, the Commission approved the
2007-2008 Bingo Advisory
Committee (BAC) work plan.
Use the Bingo Services Center to find a variety bingo
information!
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.
Electronic Filing for Quarterly Reports Available
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.
New Interactive Bingo forms available
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.
Charitable Bingo Distributions Exceed $876 Million Since 1982
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 first 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 $7.9 million
in distributions made in the first quarter of 2008, the total that charities have received since
1982 is now more than
$876 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.
Commission Approves Regulatory Objective and Audit Services
Charter
At the September 6, 2006, meeting of the Texas Lottery
Commission the Commission approved the
Regulatory Objective and
Audit Services Charter for the
Audit Services Department of the Charitable Bingo Operations Division. The Regulatory Objective
will provide the framework in which all charitable bingo regulatory activities will be conducted.
The Audit Services Charter provides the methodology and protocol by which the Audit Services
Department will conduct audits.
The Regulatory Objective and the Charitable Bingo Mission Statement have been added to the
Charitable Bingo website under the “About Us” tab as a menu item under the “About the Bingo
Division” option.
The
Bingo
Operations Manual has been revised to add the Charitable Bingo Operations Division Mission
Statement, the Regulatory Objective and the new Audit Services Charter.
The Audit Services Department has also adopted the Government Auditing Standards, and will
conduct audits based upon these standards. Government Auditing Standards are also referred to as
the “ Yellow Book,” generally accepted government auditing standards, and GAGAS. The Government
Auditing Standards has been set up as an interactive link under the “About Us” tab as a menu item
under the “ Related Links” option.
Quarterly Report Due Dates & Allocation Time Table
January 1, 2008 first day of the first quarter of 2008.
January 25, 2008 due date for the fourth quarter 2007 conductor, lessor and unit
returns.
January 31, 2008 due date for the fourth quarter 2007 manufacturer and distributor
reports.
February 28, 2008 date to allocate bingo money to local jurisdictions for the fourth quarter
of 2007.
March 31, 2008 last day of the first quarter of 2008.
April 1, 2008 first day of the second quarter of 2008.
April 25, 2008 due date for the first quarter of 2008 conductor and lessor reports.
April 30, 2008 due date for the first quarter of 2008 manufacturer and distributor
reports.
May 30, 2008 date to allocate bingo money to local jurisdictions for the first quarter of
2008.
June 30, 2008 last day of the second quarter of 2008.
July 1, 2008 first day of the third quarter of 2008.
July 25, 2008 due date for the second quarter of 2008 conductor and lessor reports.
July 31, 2008 due date for the second quarter of 2008 manufacturer and distributor
reports.
August 29, 2008 date to allocate bingo money to local jurisdictions for the second quarter of
2008.
September 30, 2008 last day of the third quarter of 2008.
October 1, 2008 first day of the fourth quarter of 2008.
October 27, 2008 due date for the third quarter of 2008 conductor and lessor reports.
October 31, 2008 due date for the third quarter of 2008 manufacturer and distributor
reports.
November 28, 2008 date to allocate bingo money to local jurisdictions for the third quarter of
2008.
December 31, 2008 last day of the fourth quarter of 2008.
Interest Rate Change On Delinquent Tax (Prize Fee and Rental Tax)-
2008
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.
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