To conduct charitable gambling activities, a nonprofit organization will first need a charitable gambling license. The only gambling activities authorized under these licenses are bingo, raffles, games of skill and chance (generally, carnival-style games), and game nights (generally, casino-style games).
Charitable organizations must be able to provide proof of tax-exempt status. A letter of tax-exempt determination from the IRS is required.
Proof of having an Iowa sales tax permit is also required.
Cost:
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
The licensee must have a valid One- or Two-Year Qualified Organization License.
Processing Time:
30 days
Additional Information:
Application fees are nonrefundable. Please make sure to complete all required fields and attach any required documentation.
DIAL must issue a license before any distribution begins. Please be aware that DIAL has a 30-day processing time for gambling applications. DIAL cannot guarantee on time processing for missed deadlines or incomplete applications.
An organization requesting a Two-Year Qualified Organization License must have been in existence for at least five years.
Eight per license period w/each raffle conducted in a different county
One per calendar year
One per calendar year
One per calendar year
Not allowed
Very Large Raffles
One per calendar year w/additional Very Large Raffle License
One per calendar year w/additional Very Large Raffle License
Not allowed
Not allowed
Not allowed
Not allowed
Electronic Raffles
One small raffle per day; One large raffle per calendar year
Not allowed
Not allowed
Not allowed
Not allowed
Not allowed
Bingo Conducted at a Fair or Community Festival β This 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.
Community Group β An Iowa nonprofit; a 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. βCommunity groupβ 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.
Games of Skill and Chance β Include but are not limited to carnival-style games. They do not include casino-style games that would be included in a Game Night.
Game Night β 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.
Raffles are lotteries in which each participant buys an entry for a chance at a prize with the winner determined by a random method. The winner is not required to be present to win. The license duration must include advertising time, ticket sales, and drawing of the winner(s). A combination of licenses may be used to obtain the requested length of time.
Very Small Raffle β 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.
Small Raffle β The total value of cash and/or prizes is more than $1,000 but not more than $10,000.
Large Raffle β The total value of cash and/or prizes is more than $10,000 but not more than $100,000.
Very Large Raffle β 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.
All American Bingo, Inc. 12947 A. Gravois Road Sunset Hills, Missouri 63127 800.752.4675
Arrow International, Inc. 9900 Clinton Road Brooklyn, Ohio 44144 216.961.3500
Ayers Distributing, Inc. 13434 Millard Ave. Omaha, Nebraska 68137 402.551.0190
Doolin Amusement Supply Co. 511 North Halstead Street Chicago, Illinois 60642 312.243.9424
Everi Games, Inc. 7250 S Tenya Way, Ste. 100 Las Vegas, NV 89113 702.855.3000
