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HB 988NORTH CAROLINASession 2025State Billin committee

North Carolina Updates Regulations and Prize Limits for Instant Bingo and Standard Bingo Games

Original title: Revise Law on Instant Bingo.

Last action · April 14, 2025: Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (House action)Sponsor: Zack Hawkins

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Would Do

House Bill 988 updates North Carolina laws governing bingo and games, authorizing specific tax-s to offer instant bingo, setting the maximum single-game instant bingo prize at $600, and permitting electronic funds transfers for game disbursements starting October 1, 2025.

Why it matters

Changes operational rules, prize caps, and accounting methods for charitable organizations conducting bingo, and restricts who may operate games to specific types of fraternal, veterans, or business-league nonprofits.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Exempt organizations

Exempt organizations must adhere to updated prize limits, allowed game types, electronic payment tracking, and annual audit requirements.

Directly affected

Alcohol Law Enforcement Division of the Department of Public Safety

The Division receives mandatory annual financial audits of bingo accounts from operating organizations.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which organizations are allowed to operate instant bingo games under this bill?

Only organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(8), 501(c)(10), or 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code may conduct .

What is the maximum prize allowed for a single instant bingo game?

The maximum prize in cash or merchandise offered or paid for any one game of is $600.

How must electronic instant bingo systems be verified before use?

Prior to use, electronic systems must be tested by an independent gaming test laboratory and certified as compliant with the produced by Gaming Laboratories International, LLC.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

3 actions

Apr 14, 2025House
Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
Apr 14, 2025House
Passed 1st Reading
Apr 10, 2025HouseIntroduced
Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift98% confidence

Integration of Digital and Electronic Bingo Standards

The bill explicitly expands bingo definitions to encompass digital tickets and mandates independent laboratory certification for electronic instant bingo systems under GLI-14.

Gaming Laboratories International, LLC North American Gaming Regulators Association

Connected Entities

Department of Revenue, Zack Hawkins, North American Gaming Regulators Association and 2 more

OrganizationDepartment of Revenue“Recognizes tax-exempt status for nonprofit organizations”Map →

PersonZack Hawkins“Primary sponsor of House Bill 988 in the North Carolina General Assembly”Map →

OrganizationNorth American Gaming Regulators Association“Establishes standards for paper instant bingo tickets”Map →

OrganizationGaming Laboratories International, LLC“Produces the GLI-14 standard for electronic instant bingo testing”Map →

OrganizationAlcohol Law Enforcement Division of the Department of Public Safety“Receives annual audits of bingo accounts”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.ncleg.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance45
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy15
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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