How Do I Clone of Apply for a Charitable Gambling License?

The type of license you need will depend on the period of time for which you plan to conduct gambling activity in your organization.

• Qualified Organization License, 14-Day ($15)
• Qualified Organization License, 90-Day ($40)
• Qualified Organization License, 180-Day ($75)
• Qualified Organization License, One-Year ($150)
• Qualified Organization License, Two-Year ($150)
• Bingo at a Fair or Festival License ($50)
• Very Large Raffle License ($100)

*An organization requesting a Two-Year Qualified Organization License must have been in existence for at least five years.
**In addition to a One-Year or Two-Year Qualified Organization License, organizations wishing to conduct a Very Large Raffle will need to complete a separate Very Large Raffle License Application.
***An organization seeking to conduct an electronic raffle must get the equipment from an Electronic Raffle Manufacturer or Distributor licensed by DIAL.

1. Bingo Conducted at a Fair or Community Festival – License that allows bingo to be conducted for the duration of a fair or community festival of no more than six consecutive days in length held by a community group. Bingo occasions held under this license shall not be counted in determining whether a qualified organization has conducted the maximum three occasions per week or 15 occasions per month. 
2. Community Festival – A festival of no more than six consecutive days in length held by a community group.
3. Community Group – An Iowa nonprofit, tax-exempt organization which is open to the general public and established for the promotion and development of the arts, history, culture, ethnicity, historical preservation, tourism, economic development, festivals or municipal libraries. “Community group” does not include a school, college, university, political party, labor union, fraternal organization, church, convention or association of churches or organizations operated primarily for religious purposes, or which are operated, supervised, controlled or principally supported by a church, convention of association of churches.
4. Games of Skill and Chance – Includes but not limited to carnival-style games. They do not include casino-style games (See Game Night).
5. Game Night – An event at which casino-style games may be conducted, in addition to games of skill and games of chance, within one consecutive 24-hour period.
6. Raffle – A lottery in which each participant buys an entry for a chance at a prize with the winner determined by a random method and the winner is not required to be present to win. For raffles, the license duration must include your advertising, ticket sales, and drawing of the winner(s). A combination of licenses may be used to obtain the requested length of time.
7. Very Small Raffle – A raffle where the total value of cash and/or merchandise prizes is $1,000 or less and the value of all entries sold is $1,000 or less, or the total value of donated merchandise prizes is $5,000 or less and the value of all entries sold is $5,000 or less.
8. Small Raffle – A raffle where the total value of cash and/or prizes is more than $1,000 but not more than $10,000.
9. Large Raffle – A raffle whether the total value of cash and/or prizes is more than $10,000 but not more than $100,000.
10. Very Large Raffle – A raffle where the total value of cash and/or prizes is more than $100,000 but not more than $200,000 or if the prize is real property.

Prize and Cost to Play Limitations 

1. Single bingo game —Up to $250 cash or up to $950 merchandise.  However, if the merchandise prize solely consists of one firearm, the actual retail value of the prize shall not exceed $5,000.  The cost to play cannot exceed $50 per game.
2. Bingo jackpot – $1,000 cash or merchandise maximum on first jackpot in 24-hour period; $2,500 cash or merchandise maximum on second jackpot in 24-hour period.  The cost to play cannot exceed $50 per game.
3. Raffles – See definitions above.  There is no limit on the cost of raffle tickets, however the cost must be equal to all.
4. Games of skill and chance – $10,000 in merchandise.  There is no limit on the cost to play.
5. Game Nights – Cash or merchandise may be awarded in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10,000.  No participant shall win more than a total of $5,000.  An individual shall not spend more than $250 for entrance fees and wagers.  
6. Veteran’s Card Tournaments – Prize and cost to play limits are based on whether members of the qualified organization representing veterans are limited to one guest or not.  See Iowa Code 99B.27(2)(j) for details.  

Participant Age Restrictions 

1. Bingo – There is no minimum age to participate, however the licensee may set one if set forth in house rules.  
2. Raffles – There is no minimum age to participate, however the licensee may set one based on the prize(s) offered.
3. Games of Skill and Chance – There is no minimum age to participate.
4. Game Nights – There is no minimum age to participate.
5. Veteran’s Card Tournaments – Participants shall be at least twenty-one years of age.  
    

• To fully complete the Charitable Gambling application. 
• Non-refundable license fee.
• The applicant must be an entity and must use the entity’s legal name as recognized by the federal government.
• Iowa Sales Tax Permit number. This is not your Federal ID number. Gambling receipts are subject to Iowa sales tax, even for non-profit organizations. All taxes are payable to the Iowa Department of Revenue, and should not be submitted to DIAL. More information can be found on the Iowa Department of Revenue website or by calling 515.281.3114 ext. 4.
• If the organization has delinquent Annual Gambling Reports, these must be completed prior to the approval of the gambling application.
• The person listed as the Responsible Party must submit the application. 
• Proof of non-profit status paperwork. Acceptable documentation includes one of the following:
  • 501(c) 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, or 19 Organizations — A signed and complete copy of the organization’s 501(c) determination or affirmation letter from the IRS is the only acceptable document.  It is preferred for the letter to have a post-2000 date. 
    • If your organization is a local chapter of a national non-profit 501(c), the national group-exempt 501(c) must be provided with an additional (link) letter from the national organization that holds the 501(c), stating that the local chapter falls under the group-exemption status of the national 501(c) and is authorized to use that 501(c). 
  • Governments or Governmental Organizations—The applicant listed is required to be the name of the governmental entity (i.e. City of ABC not ABC Fire Department). The name of the specific department or agency may be listed in the d/b/a field.  Must include a letter from an elected official such as a mayor or county supervisor, or an appointed official such as a city manager or city clerk unless the responsible party of the application is one of the above listed officials. The letter must state: 
• The agency/department seeking a gambling license is part of the respective government entity (i.e. ABC Fire Department is part of the City of ABC).
• The proceeds derived from the gambling activity will be received, deposited, and appropriated by the governmental entity or that the governmental entity has oversight of the bank accounts and how all the monies are spent (i.e. insert City of ABC where it says “governmental entity”).   
• The governmental entity has oversight of the specific department’s employees/volunteers and the selection/removal of those people (i.e. The City of ABC has oversight of ABC fire Department’s employees/volunteers and the selection/removal of those people.). 
• The governmental entity will act as the party to be held accountable regarding whether the gambling event is run in compliance with Iowa gambling law and rules (i.e. The City of ABC will be held accountable regarding whether the gambling event is run in compliance with the Iowa gambling law and rules). 
• Public or Private Schools (K-12)—need no proof of non-profit status if approved by the Iowa Department of Education. This is the case only for the school itself.  Other school related entities with their own Federal ID number separate from the school’s should read below. 
  • Parent-Teacher Organizations and Booster Clubs of K-12 Schools, which are not a 501(c) organization—Must include a notarized letter from the superintendent, principal, or school board director granting permission for licensure.  The organization is required to have their own Federal ID number separate from the school.  The letter must state:
• The organization is a fund-raising entity of the school or school district with the sole purpose of providing for the school or school district. 
• The school or school district gives permission for the organization to conduct the gambling event. 
• Political Candidates, Parties, or Nonparty Political Organizations—Must supply verification from one of the following: Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board (ICFDC), Secretary of State, or County Auditor.  Our recommendation is a DR-1 from the ICFDC.

Send all completed forms and applications to:

Once DIAL receives the application with the required documentation, DIAL will review it. If approved, DIAL will mail the license to the applicant. Please note that the license is not valid until you receive it. It is only valid during the period mentioned on the license.

You may call 515.281.6848 or send an email to scg@iowa.gov with any questions.