A bill filed at the Arkansas Capitol on Thursday would authorize colleges and universities in Arkansas to offer raffles during sporting events.
Currently, Arkansas’ Charitable Bingo and Raffles laws let non-profit charities conduct bingo and sell raffle tickets as part of their fundraising efforts. State reports indicate the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration issued 719 bingo and raffle licenses to charities last fiscal year.
H.B. 1044 by Rep. R. J. Hawk (R — Bryant) and Sen. Jonathan Dismang (R — Little Rock), the Arkansas Sports Raffle Act, would let colleges and universities conduct raffles in-person or online during sporting events. Schools would be able to sell raffle tickets themselves or use a nonprofit charity affiliated with the school conduct the raffle. The bill contains a provision preventing casinos from operating or administering a raffle on a school’s behalf.
Schools could use raffle proceeds to benefit school athletic programs — including purchasing and maintaining athletic facilities or providing financial aid, scholarships, stipends, and other compensation to student-athletes.
Family Council is currently neutral regarding H.B. 1044. Family Council has never opposed charitable bingo or charitable raffles that benefit nonprofit groups as long as the charities themselves were the ones who administered the raffle. H.B. 1044 addresses that concern by making it clear that casinos cannot conduct raffles. We plan to continue monitoring and reporting on this bill.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
