Understanding Florida's Charitable Gaming Laws

✅ Instant Bingo / Electronic Pull-Tabs (Our System)

📄 Read Our Statute 849.0931 Summary

Good news for your VSO post: Instant bingo (electronic pull-tabs) is the most clearly compliant charitable gaming option in Florida. It's explicitly written into the charitable bingo statutes, and the law doesn't restrict electronic systems when properly implemented. Our system is fully compliant and currently used by VSO posts across Florida.

Resources for your leadership team:
• Download our compliance review PDF
• Read the full statute (FL 849.0931)

Supporting Court Cases

These cases confirm the legality of instant bingo systems for qualified organizations:

Ft Myers VFW vs STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION DIVISION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND TOBACCO
Court Document | Summary

Rowe v. County of Duval, 975 So.2d 526 (1st DCA, 2008)
Court Document | Summary

⚠️ Why We Don't Offer Raffle Systems

📄 Read Statute 849.0935 Summary

While raffles can be great fundraisers, we don't offer electronic raffle systems because Florida's raffle laws (FL 849.0935) make electronic compliance extremely challenging. The statute is very specific about how raffles must work.

(a)“Drawing by chance,” “drawing,” or “raffle” means an enterprise in which, from the entries submitted by the public to the organization conducting the drawing, one or more entries are selected by chance to win a prize. The term “drawing” does not include those enterprises, commonly known as “game promotions,” as defined by s. 849.094, “matching,” “instant winner,” or “preselected sweepstakes,” which involve the distribution of winning numbers, previously designated as such, to the public.

The key issue: The law specifically excludes "instant winner" formats from qualifying as raffles. This means electronic systems that award prizes instantly don't meet the raffle requirements. Winners must be determined at a specific drawing time, not instantly.

Bottom line for your post: Traditional paper raffles are fine, but we focus on instant bingo because it's clearer, more compliant, and frankly more engaging for members.

🚫 "Skill Game" Machines vs. Our Instant Bingo System

📄 Read Statute 546.10 Summary


Reading Florida Statute 546.10 (Family Amusement Games Act) makes it clear: amusement machine certificates do NOT authorize cash-payout slot machines or gambling devices.

(a) “Amusement game or machine” means a game or machine operated only for the bona fide entertainment of the general public which a person activates by inserting or using currency or a coin, card, coupon, slug, token, or similar device, and, by the application of skill, with no material element of chance inherent in the game or machine, the person playing or operating the game or machine controls the outcome of the game.
Key problems with "skill game" machines:

1. Must be for general public entertainment, not private clubs. This alone disqualifies them for VSO posts.
2. Must be pure skill with NO chance/randomness. Most "skill games" are actually slot machines with skill elements added—still illegal.
3. Cannot pay cash prizes. Only merchandise available on-site is allowed.

It also does not include:
1. Any game or machine that uses mechanical slot reels, video depictions of slot machine reels or symbols, or video simulations or video representations of any other casino game, including, but not limited to, any banked or banking card game, poker, bingo, pull-tab, lotto, roulette, or craps.
2. A game in which the player does not control the outcome of the game through skill or a game where the outcome is determined by factors not visible, known, or predictable to the player.
3. A video poker game or any other game or machine that may be construed as a gambling device under the laws of this state.
4. Any game or device defined as a gambling device in 15 U.S.C. s. 1171, unless excluded under 15 U.S.C. s. 1178.

Any depiction of a slot machine can not be used as an "amusement machine". This also includes poker, bingo, pull-tab, lotto, roulette, or craps. This means that any game that has a slot machine, or any of the other games listed above, is not an amusement machine. The only legal gambling allowed in Florida is through sanctioned casinos and bingo, and must follow the statutes for those games.


Recent enforcement actions (skill game raids in Florida):
Tallahassee Democrat - Leon County deputies, state officials warn 6 Tallahassee operations of illegal gambling
Legal Slot Locations
Florida Division of Gaming Enforcement puts local casinos on notice (Charlotte County)
Adult arcades in Palm Beach County raided for illegal gambling
FGCC FAQ Page
Florida Sheriffs Association Podcast - Episode 84
Manatee County Sheriff's Office Gambling Investigation
More than 100 arcades could be operating illegally in Southwest Florida
Patrons arrested during arcade raid had 'no idea' gambling illegal