Petersburg Township Votes NO!
Petersburg, New Jersey will be the first Township to obtain a state gaming license for legalized games of chance. The municipality of the Upper Township knows that it is not economically feasible for non-profit organizations to pay the annual licensure fee of $1,000 and continue to raise money for charitable contributions. The Township Committee voted on Monday to provide local organizations with the use of the community center to hold fundraising events that include games of chance, such as bingo, to raise funds for educational, patriotic, religious, senior citizen associations and other publicly beneficial groups. The groups will utilize the gaming license that the Township seeks to acquire from the New Jersey Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission could issue.
The Commission
The New Jersey Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission received an application for a Bingo license from the Upper Township. Following a committee vote, the Township agreed to apply for the municipal gaming license in order for local non-profit organizations to feasibly promote fundraisers for charitable causes. The industry of ‘charitable’ gaming is an $85 million a year operation, according to their website. The Commission manages almost 1000 amusement games at various amusement parks, state and county fairs, and ‘seashore’ resorts that offer games of chance. Each year the Commission issues nearly 12,000 gaming licenses to an array of charitable organizations.
Petersburg, New Jersey Would Set Precedent
Mayor Richard Palombo asserted that the Township seeks the license that would be exclusive to the community center in order to help the local non-profits raise funds. The municipality is in no way moving forward with the plan to make a profit. The Township simply wants to make a contribution to the many charitable groups that would like to offer bingo games at fundraising events. Individual charity groups are generally unable to afford the annual gaming license that costs $1,000. There has been no further information made available as to the status of the decision to be made by the New Jersey Gaming Commission to date.
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