You asked whether qualified organizations will still be able to conduct bingo if the legislature repeals the Las Vegas night statutes. The Office of Legislative Research is not authorized to give legal opinions and this report should not be construed as such.

If the legislature repeals the Las Vegas night statutes, qualified organizations will still be able to conduct bingo and all the other authorized forms of charitable gaming specified in law (bazaars and raffles, sealed tickets, and recreational bingo). By law, bingo does not fall within the definition of Las Vegas nights and both types of gaming are governed by different statutes. The statutes authorizing and outlining the procedures for playing bingo are CGS §§ 7-169 through 7-169c. The Las Vegas night statutes are CGS §§ 7-186a through 7-186q. CGS § 7-186k requires the Division of Special Revenue (DSR) director to adopt regulations to implement the Las Vegas night statutes.

DSR regulations identify the following as permissible Las Vegas night games and equipment:

1. blackjack and blackjack equipment,

2. poker and poker tables,

3. dice and dice tables,

4. money-wheels,

5. roulette and roulette wheels and tables,

6. baccarat,

7. chuck-a-luck and chuck-a-luck tables,

8. pan game,

9. over and under,

10. horse race game and equipment including miniature horses and oval track,

11. acey-ducey and acey-ducey tables,

12. beat the dealer,

13. bouncing ball, and

14. other games and equipment DSR approves (Conn. Agency Reg. § 7-186k-15).

Both the games and equipment must be registered with DSR.

VR: ts/eh