--- title: HB 455. Bingo; properties used for games; limit number of sessions; provisions collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb455 cite_as: HB 455, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb455 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb455.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb455/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70327 date: 2026-05-12 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb454.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb456.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 1129 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb455.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 455 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2026-05-12 last_action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 sponsors: - Alan Powell - Lauren McDonald - Matt Dubnik - Kasey Carpenter - Mark Newton - Rick Jasperse - Matt Brass text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB455/2025 upstream_id: 1970337 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - bingo licensing - charitable gaming - nonprofit fundraising - gambling law --- # HB 455. Bingo; properties used for games; limit number of sessions; provisions ## Text House Bill 455 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Powell of the 33rd, McDonald III of the 26th, Dubnik of the 29th, Carpenter of the 4th, Newton of the 127th, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Part 2 of Article 2 of Chapter 12 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to bingo, so as to provide for the information to be provided on applications for bingo games; to revise the provisions regarding the properties used for bingo games; to revise the limits on the number of bingo game sessions which are allowed per month; to revise the amount of prize money which may be paid; to revise the compensation for persons assisting in the conduct of bingo games; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. Part 2 of Article 2 of Chapter 12 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to bingo, is amended by revising paragraph (6) of subsection (b) of Code Section 16-12-53, relating to licensing procedure, fee, and renewal, as follows: "(6) The location locations at which the applicant will conduct the bingo games and, if the premises on which the games are to be conducted is to be leased, a copy of the lease or rental agreement;" SECTION 2. Said part is further amended by revising Code Section 16-12-57, relating to restrictions as to ownership of premises utilized, as follows: "16-12-57. Bingo games shall be operated only on premises owned by the nonprofit, tax-exempt organization operating the bingo game, on property leased by the nonprofit, tax-exempt organization and used regularly which may be used by that organization for purposes other than the operation of a bingo game, or on property leased by the nonprofit, tax-exempt organization operating the bingo game from another nonprofit, tax-exempt organization." SECTION 3. Said part is further amended by revising Code Section 16-12-60, relating to rules and regulations, as follows: "16-12-60. (a) A licensee that conducts or operates a bingo session shall maintain the following records for at least three years from the date on which the bingo session is conducted: (1) An itemized list of the gross receipts for each session; (2) An itemized list of all expenses other than prizes that are incurred in the conducting of the bingo session as well as the name of each person to whom the expenses are paid and a receipt for all of the expenses; (3) A list of all prizes awarded during the bingo session and the name and address of all persons who are winners of prizes of $50.00 or more in value; (4) An itemized list of the recipients other than the licensee of the proceeds of the bingo game, including the name and address of each recipient to whom such funds are distributed; and (5) A record of the number of persons who participate in any bingo session conducted by the licensee. (b) A licensee shall: (1) Own all the equipment used to conduct a bingo game or lease such equipment; (2) Display its bingo license conspicuously at the location where the bingo game is conducted; (3) Conduct bingo games only at the single location locations specified in the licensee's application; and (4) Not conduct more than one bingo session three bingo sessions during any one calendar day, which provided that each session shall not exceed five hours. (c) No nonprofit, tax-exempt organization shall enter into any contract with any individual, firm, association, or corporation to have such individual, firm, association, or corporation operate bingo games or concessions on behalf of the nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. (d) A nonprofit, tax-exempt organization shall not lend its name nor allow its identity to be used by any individual, firm, association, or corporation in the operating or advertising of a bingo game in which said nonprofit, tax-exempt organization is not directly and solely operating the bingo game. (e) It shall be unlawful for two or more nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations which are properly licensed pursuant to this part to operate bingo games jointly or to operate bingo games upon the same premises during any 18 hour period if doing so would result in the premises being the location for more than 31 bingo sessions per month. (f) It shall be unlawful to award prizes in excess of $3,000.00 $6,000.00 in cash or gifts of equivalent value during any calendar week. It shall be unlawful to exceed such limitation at any combination of locations operated by a single licensee or such licensee's agents or employees. It shall be unlawful for two or more licensees to pyramid the valuation of prizes in such manner as to exceed the limitation contained in this Code section. The term 'equivalent value' shall mean the fair market value of the gift on the date the gift is given as the prize in a bingo game. (g) No person or organization by whatever name or composition thereof shall take any salary, expense money, or fees for the operation of any bingo game, except that not more than $30.00 per day $150.00 per session may be paid to one or more individuals for assisting in the conduct of such games on such day during such session. (h) No person shall pay consulting fees to any person for any services performed in relation to the operation or conduct of a bingo game. (i) A person who is a member of more than one nonprofit, tax-exempt organization shall be permitted to participate in the bingo operations of only two organizations of which such person is a member; provided, however, that such person shall not receive more than $30.00 per day $150.00 per session for assisting in the conduct of bingo games regardless of whether such person assists both organizations in the same day." SECTION 4. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. House Bill 455 rewrites Georgia's bingo licensing law to allow charities to run up to three bingo sessions a day at multiple locations, raise weekly prize limits, and pay helpers more per session. ### Plain-language summary Georgia law lets nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations run bingo games under strict limits on where they can play, how often, how much they can pay in prizes, and how much they can pay people who help run the games. This bill loosens several of those limits. It lets an organization list multiple locations on its license instead of just one, and it removes the requirement that leased property be used regularly by the organization for other purposes. The bill raises the number of allowed bingo sessions from one per day to three per day (each still capped at five hours), and it caps joint operations at 31 sessions per month at a shared location instead of an 18 hour window. It doubles the weekly prize cap from $3,000 to $6,000, and it raises pay for people who help run games from $30 per day to $150 per session. The changes take effect once the Governor signs the bill, and repeal any conflicting laws. ### What it does - Allows a bingo license to list multiple locations instead of just one single location for games. - Removes the requirement that leased bingo property be used regularly by the organization for purposes other than bingo. - Raises the daily session limit from one to three bingo sessions per day, each still capped at five hours. - Replaces the old 18 hour joint-operation restriction with a cap of 31 bingo sessions per month at a shared location. - Doubles the weekly prize limit from $3,000 to $6,000 in cash or equivalent gifts. - Raises the pay allowed for people who help run bingo games from $30 per day to $150 per session. ### Who it affects Nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations licensed to run bingo games in Georgia, the individuals who volunteer or work to help run those games, bingo players who might win larger prizes, and property owners who lease space to these organizations for bingo sessions. ### Why it matters Charities running bingo could hold more games, at more locations, and pay bigger prizes and higher fees to helpers, potentially increasing fundraising activity and payouts to both organizations and the people who assist them at bingo sessions across Georgia. ### Key provisions - Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 16-12-53 to require applicants to list all locations where bingo will be conducted, not just one. - Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 16-12-57 to let organizations use leased property for bingo without requiring regular use for other purposes. - Section 3 amends O.C.G.A. § 16-12-60 to raise the daily session cap from one to three sessions of up to five hours each. - Section 3 also replaces the 18 hour joint-operation rule with a 31 sessions per month cap for shared premises used by multiple organizations. - Section 3 raises the weekly prize cap from $3,000 to $6,000 in cash or gifts of equivalent value. - Section 3 raises allowable pay for people assisting with bingo games from $30 per day to $150 per session. - Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-05-12) - Last action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 (2026-05-12) - Sponsors: Alan Powell, Lauren McDonald, Matt Dubnik, Kasey Carpenter, Mark Newton, Rick Jasperse, Matt Brass - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70327 > The history, votes, and amendments (1,129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb455.md?full=1