Sec. 692.101. - Legislative findings.

The Council finds that: (a) F.S. § 849.093 was enacted by the Legislature in order to authorize non-profit and veterans' organizations engaged in charitable, civic, community, benevolent, religious or scholastic works and other similar activities to conduct bingo games and guest games and to donate the entire proceeds derived from these games to these endeavors, thus bringing aid and comfort to the community and its members. (b) F.S. § 849.093(2) prohibits the proceeds from these games from being used for any purpose other than the enumerated purposes whatsoever. (c) F.S. § 849.093(3) authorizes non-profit organizations not involved in the efforts listed above to conduct bingo games and guest games only upon the condition that the entire proceeds be returned to the players in the form of prizes. (d) F.S. § 849.093 contains various other provisions intended to assure that only the non-profit or veterans' organization is involved in and receives the proceeds of these games, but the present law is inadequate to achieve this objective because of a lack of regulatory authority. (e) Monies from bingo games are frequently retained illegally or taken for non-charitable purposes through such ruses as abnormally high rentals or salaries. (f) Arrangements between and among lessors of places where bingo games are conducted, actual or putative non-profit organizations and concessionaires at such games have become commercialized to an extent not contemplated or intended by the Legislature. (g) Effective enforcement of State law regarding bingo games can only be brought about by local regulation of these games to see that the proceeds from the games pass into the hands of legitimate charitable organizations to be used for legitimate charitable purposes. (Ord. 78-1324-661, § 1; Ord. 82-86-25, § 1; Ord. 83-591-400, § 1) Note— Former § 405.101.