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- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro enacted Senate Bill 416 and Senate Bill 398, modernizing nonprofit fundraising by allowing organizations to accept mobile and digital payments (including credit/debit cards, PayPal, and Venmo) for raffle tickets.
- The reform allows licensed fire departments, VFWs, and American Legions to run unlimited online raffles while raising the seven-day aggregate prize limit for small games of chance from $35,000 to $60,000—the first cap adjustment since 2013.
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Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed two Pennsylvania bills expanding nonprofit raffle fundraising options and raising the seven-day aggregate prize limit to $60,000.
The changes affect fundraising by fire departments, Veterans of Foreign Wars organizations and American Legions. They address electronic raffle ticket payments, online raffles and small games of chance, rather than authorizing online casino gambling.
According to an Oct. 24 report published by AOL, Shapiro signed the measures that week. The report does not specify when the changes take effect.
SB 416 Allows Electronic Raffle Ticket Payments
Senate Bill 416, sponsored by Sen. Devlin Robinson, allows eligible nonprofits to accept credit cards, debit cards and online payment platforms such as PayPal and Venmo for raffle tickets.
Organizations must still verify that ticket buyers are at least 18 years old. The measure does not authorize online gaming or live drawings.
“As more people rely on electronic payments, our laws need to keep pace with the way people do business today,” Robinson said, according to the report.
The bill passed the Pennsylvania Senate unanimously.
SB 398 Expands Online Raffles and Prize Limits
Senate Bill 398, sponsored by Sen. Michele Brooks, allows fire departments, VFWs and American Legions holding a Small Games of Chance license to conduct unlimited online raffles. Examples of raffle items include side-by-side vehicles, sportsmen equipment, grills and gift cards.
Legislation amended into the bill also:
- Raises the aggregate prize limit for small games of chance in any seven-day period from $35,000 to $60,000.
- Increases the amount license holders may retain for operating expenses.
The source report does not specify the new operating-expense allowance. Lawmakers emphasized that even as charitable gaming modernizes with electronic transactions, maintaining community-focused safeguards and basic responsible gaming standards remains essential to protecting participants from excessive gambling harm.
“These organizations are facing rising costs and have not had an increase in their prize limit since 2013, when my legislation at the time, House Bill 290, was signed into law as Act 92,” Brooks said in a press release quoted by the report.
SB 398 also passed the state Senate unanimously.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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Source: As reported by AOL.com.
