The question starts with a law, not a building
You are asking how to run a bingo fundraiser in Pennsylvania, and the first thing to understand is that this is not a venue question at all. It is a licensing question. The answer is governed by Pennsylvania's Small Games of Chance Act and the local municipality where the event will be held, not by any casino, hall, or bingo parlor.
This article can explain the general mechanism of how a bingo fundraiser is structured and where the authoritative current answer lives. It cannot give you a permit number, a fee, a prize cap, or a list of approved venues, because those figures are set by county treasurers and municipal clerks and change constantly.
Who may run a bingo fundraiser in Pennsylvania
Under the Small Games of Chance Act, only certain eligible organizations may apply for a license to conduct bingo. The law defines eligible organizations by their tax status and their purpose: a nonprofit charitable organization, a religious organization, a civic or fraternal association, a volunteer fire company, or a veterans organization. A private individual, a for-profit business, or a group of friends cannot obtain a bingo license in Pennsylvania.
The key distinction is that the organization must exist for a charitable, civic, or community purpose, and the proceeds from the bingo event must be used for that purpose. The law does not permit a bingo fundraiser where the money goes to private individuals or to a for-profit entity.
The two layers of approval
A Pennsylvania bingo fundraiser requires two separate layers of approval. The first is the state-level eligibility determination, which is established by the Small Games of Chance Act and administered at the county level. The second is the local municipal approval, because the municipality where the event will be held must also authorize the activity.
This two-layer structure means that the same organization may be eligible in one county but still need to satisfy a different municipality's requirements if the event moves. The license is tied to a specific location and a specific time period, not to the organization in the abstract.
| Approval layer | What it governs | Where to confirm current requirements |
|---|---|---|
| County treasurer | Eligibility of the organization, license issuance, prize limits, recordkeeping | County treasurer's office in the county where the event will be held |
| Municipal clerk or secretary | Local authorization, zoning, hall approval, local fee | Borough or township office where the event will be held |
What the license covers
A bingo license in Pennsylvania authorizes the organization to conduct bingo games on a specific date or dates, at a specific location, with specific prizes. The license does not authorize unlimited bingo. It is issued for a defined period, and the organization must reapply for subsequent events.
The license also imposes recordkeeping obligations. The organization must keep records of gross receipts, expenses, and prizes awarded, and those records must be available for inspection by the licensing authority. Failure to maintain records is a separate violation from failure to obtain a license.
Prize limits and how they are set
The Small Games of Chance Act sets maximum prize amounts for bingo, but those amounts are not fixed in this article because they are amended by the legislature and interpreted by county treasurers. The structure, however, is consistent: there is a per-game prize cap, a per-week prize cap, and a per-occasion prize cap, and the organization must stay under all three.
The prize cap applies to the value of the prize, not to the number of winners. A single game cannot award a prize above the per-game cap even if multiple people win. The organization must also account for the value of donated prizes at their fair market value, not at zero.
Where the money may go
The proceeds of a Pennsylvania bingo fundraiser must be used for the organization's stated charitable or civic purpose. The law does not permit the proceeds to be distributed to members, officers, or volunteers as compensation. Expenses directly related to conducting the event, such as hall rental and bingo supplies, may be paid from gross receipts, but the net proceeds must go to the organization's purpose.
This is the most common point of confusion for new organizations. The bingo event is a fundraiser, not a business. The organization is not operating a bingo hall for profit; it is using bingo as a permitted method of raising money for its mission.
What a venue cannot tell you
A hall, fire company social room, or community center that rents space for bingo cannot grant you a license. The venue may require proof of your license before it will rent to you, but the venue itself is not the licensing authority. Renting a hall without a license and conducting bingo there is a violation regardless of what the hall owner says.
Conversely, a venue that says bingo is fine there is not giving you legal permission. Only the county treasurer and the municipality can do that. The venue's willingness to host the event is a commercial matter, separate from the legal authorization.
How to confirm the current requirements
The authoritative source for a Pennsylvania bingo fundraiser is the county treasurer's office in the county where the event will be held. The treasurer's office publishes the current application form, the current fee schedule, and the current prize limits. The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue also publishes guidance on the Small Games of Chance Act, but the county treasurer is the office that issues the license.
Before you commit to a date or a hall, contact the county treasurer and the municipal clerk. Ask for the current application, the current fee, the current prize caps, and the current recordkeeping requirements. Do not rely on a summary written for a different county or a different year.
What to confirm before you go
- That your organization is an eligible organization under the Small Games of Chance Act, as currently amended.
- That the municipality where the event will be held has not imposed additional local restrictions.
- That the prize amounts you plan to offer are under the current per-game, per-week, and per-occasion caps.
- That the venue will accept your license as proof of authorization.
- That you have the recordkeeping forms required by the county treasurer.
FAQ
Can a private individual run a bingo fundraiser in Pennsylvania?
No. The Small Games of Chance Act limits bingo licenses to eligible organizations such as nonprofits, religious groups, civic associations, volunteer fire companies, and veterans organizations. A private individual or a for-profit business cannot obtain a bingo license. The event must benefit the organization's charitable or civic purpose, not private individuals.
Does a bingo fundraiser need a separate license for each event?
Yes, in practice. The license is issued for a defined period and a specific location. An organization that runs bingo on multiple dates or at multiple locations must confirm with the county treasurer whether each event requires a separate application or whether a single license covers a series. The structure is set by the county, not by this article.
What happens if you run bingo without a license in Pennsylvania?
Conducting bingo without a license is a violation of the Small Games of Chance Act and may result in fines, forfeiture of proceeds, and loss of eligibility for future licenses. The specific penalties are set by the act and enforced by the county. The safest course is to confirm eligibility and obtain the license before any game is played.
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This article is general information about how these mechanics work. It is not legal advice and not a recommendation to gamble or to use any particular operator. Availability and legality differ by jurisdiction — check the rules that apply where you are.