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New Training Program for Bingo Chairpersons is Available!
The revised
Bingo Training Program
, primarily intended for Bingo Chairpersons, is now available! The training program has
several new features and the content has been revised based on recent changes due to House Bill
1474. Users will no longer be required to answer the test questions and fax or mail their
answer sheets to the Charitable Bingo division in Austin for grading and issuance of
the training Certificate of Completion. Users will need to have the free
Adobe Flash Player
software installed on their computers to view the modules; there will be a link on the
training page to help users instantly download this free software. Upon completion of the
requirements to view the modules and take the comprehension quizzes, the individual may print their
own certificate. The Charitable Bingo division in Austin will update licensing records on a daily
basis. All users are encouraged to first read the Frequently Asked Questions and the "Getting
Started" section of the training program before viewing the modules. The training should take the
average user 5 hours to complete. This is a brand new software application for on-line
training, so there is an on-line feedback option that users are encourage to use.
Physical-site Bingo Training classes will still be offered, but on a reduced
schedule. It is currently envisioned that
two classes per bingo audit region may be scheduled.
Other "voluntary reference" modules are currently under revision and will be
added to the website. These modules may be used by licensed organizations wanting to train their
workers or operators on a voluntary basis.
For assistance with the Bingo Training Program, please call the Charitable Bingo
Operations Division at 1-800-246-4677 and ask to speak with Mr. Rick Frysinger (Bingo Training
Coordinator), or you mail e-mail the division at
bingo.services@lottery.state.tx.us.
Announcing the On-line Pre-Licensing Interview
The
Pre-License Interview
training is now available on-line. This training is required to be completed by the the
Bingo Chairperson and
one operator for any organization applying for an original annual license to conduct
charitable bingo. Although it is not mandatory, we strongly suggest that all officers, directors
and operators for your organization take the training to better prepare your organization for the
shared responsibilities of being licensed.
The Pre-Licensing Interview training consists of three parts:
Licensing,
Record Keeping and
Compliance.
All Organizations Must Identify Their Bingo Bookkeeper
On March 9, 2010, revised Charitable Bingo
Administrative Rule 402.402 Registry of Workers went into effect. Among the many significant
changes included the requirement for licensed authorized organizations to identify their
bookkeeper. According to the rule, a bookkeeper must be listed on the Registry of Approved
Bingo Workers and on an organization’s bingo license record prior to the individual working as the
organization’s bookkeeper. Under the revised rule, a bookkeeper is defined as:
“An individual ultimately responsible for the
preparation of any financial records for information reported on the Texas Bingo Conductor’s
Quarterly Report or for preparation and maintenance of bingo inventory records for a licensed
authorized organization.”
It is up to your organization to determine who meets
this definition of a bookkeeper. An organization may have one or many bookkeepers depending on
how the responsibility of the preparation of the Texas Bingo Conductor’s Quarterly Report or the
preparation and maintenance of the bingo inventory records is distributed.
All organizations must have a bookkeeper identified on
their bingo record before they may renew their license to conduct bingo. If your organization
has not previously identified your bookkeeper, please do so now on the enclosed Additional
Individuals Sheet. If your bookkeeper is not listed on the Registry of Approved Bingo Workers,
please ensure that he/she complete a Texas Application for Registry of Approved Bingo Workers
form.
Should you have any questions regarding this new
requirement, please contact the Taxpayer Services – Licensing Section at 1-800-246-4677.
The Bingo Advisory Committee 2010 Meeting Schedule
The Bingo Advisory Committee 2010 Meeting Schedule has been tentative set as
follows:
October 20, 2010
FAILURE TO FILE ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTY!
Bingo conductors who hold a regular license or non-annual
conductors, and lessor organizations are reminded of provisions in the revised Administrative Rule
402.600 Bingo Reports,
effective July 5, 2010
, which provides for a specific administrative penalty, ranging from $100 to $300, for
organizations that are required to file a quarterly report and fail to do so by the due
date. Please refer to Administrative Rule 402.600(i) for more information.
Commission Passes Administrative Rule Action June 14, 2010
At the June 14, 2010 meeting of the Texas Lottery Commission, the following Administrative
Rule actions was taken:
--Adopted new 16 TAC §402.514 relating
to Electronic Funds Transfer.
--Adopted amendments to 16 TAC §402.506 relating to Disbursement Records
Requirements.
--Adopted amendments to 16 TAC §402.600 relating to Bingo Reports.
--Adopted new 16 TAC §402.450 relating to Request for Waiver.
--Adopted new16 TAC §402.451 relating to Operating Capital.
--Adopted new 16 TAC §402.452 relating to Net Proceeds.
--Adopted new 16 TAC §402.453 relating to Request for Operating Capital Increase,
and
--Adopted amendments to 16 TAC §402.101 relating to Advisory Opinions.
These administrative rules should be
available for viewing in the July 2, 2010 edition of the
Texas Register
. For more information, see the
powerpoint presentation on the Charitable Bingo website homepage under the
"Spotlight" section.
At the April 8, 2010 meeting of the Texas Lottery Commission, the following Administrative
Rule actions was taken:
--Adopted repeal of 16 TAC §402.202 relating to Transfer of Funds
--Adopted new rule 16 TAC §402.202 relating to Transfer of Funds
--Adopted amendment to 16 TAC §402.400 relating to General Licensing
Provisions
--Adopted amendments to 16 TAC §402.403 relating to Licenses for Conduct of Bingo
Occasions and to Lease Bingo Premises
--Adopted amendments to 16 TAC §402.404 relating to License Fees
--Adopted amendments to 16 TAC §402.408 relating to Designation of
Members
With the adoption of Charitable Bingo Administrative Rule 402.406-Bingo Chairperson, all
organizations are now required to name an active officer or member of their board of directors as
their bingo chairperson. The bingo chairperson is responsible for overseeing the organization’s
bingo activities and reporting to the membership relating to those activities.
In the past, the Charitable Bingo Operations Division has requested
organizations to name a ‘Primary Operator’ to represent the organization when dealing with the
Commission. With the adoption of the new requirement for each organization to name a Bingo
Chairperson, the role of representing the organization with the Commission will be passed to the
Bingo Chairperson. The Commission will no longer request organizations to name a ‘Primary
Operator,’ rather only the position of ‘operator’ will be recognized for regular license
holders.
With this change, the Bingo Chairperson’s name will now be printed
on the license to conduct bingo and any change to the Bingo Chairperson during the license period
will require the organization to file an amendment application.
In addition, all application forms and schedules are being modified
to require the signatures of the Bingo Chairperson and an Operator of the organization. Any
person designated by the organization as an operator who is listed on the Registry of Approved
Bingo Workers and passed a criminal history background check would be eligible to sign the
application form or schedule as the Operator.
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 over
80 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 $937 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 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 $937 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.
2010 Quarterly Report Due Dates & Allocation Time Table
January 1, 2010 first day of the first quarter of
2010.
January 25, 2010 due date for the fourth quarter 2009
conductor, lessor and unit returns.
January 31, 2010 due date for the fourth quarter 2009
manufacturer and distributor reports.
February 28, 2010 date to allocate bingo money to local
jurisdictions for the fourth quarter of 2009.
March 31, 2010 last day of the first quarter of
2010.
April 1, 2010 first day of the second quarter of
2010.
April 25, 2010 due date for the first quarter of 2010
conductor and lessor reports.
April 30, 2010 due date for the first quarter of 2010
manufacturer and distributor reports.
May 30, 2010 date to allocate bingo money to local
jurisdictions for the first quarter of 2010.
June 30, 2010 last day of the second quarter of
2010.
July 1, 2010 first day of the third quarter of
2010.
July 25, 2010 due date for the second quarter of 2010
conductor and lessor reports.
July 31, 2010 due date for the second quarter of 2010
manufacturer and distributor reports.
August 29, 2010 date to allocate bingo money to local
jurisdictions for the second quarter of 2010
September 30, 2010 last day of the third quarter of
2010.
October 1, 2010 first day of the fourth quarter of
2010.
October 27, 2010 due date for the third quarter of 2010
conductor and lessor reports.
October 31, 2010 due date for the third quarter of 2010
manufacturer and distributor reports.
November 28, 2010 date to allocate bingo money to local
jurisdictions for the third quarter of 2010.
December 31, 2010 last day of the fourth quarter of
2010.
Interest Rate Change On Delinquent Tax (Prize Fee and Rental Tax)-
2010
Effective January 1, 2010, the interest rate on delinquent
tax (prize fee and rental tax) is
4.25% (0.0425) 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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