[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of
the City of Somers Point 6-22-2017 by Ord. No. 9-2017. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter is for the purpose of regulating all games of chance
held, operated or conducted within the City of Somers Point, pursuant
to the Bingo Licensing Law, N.J.S.A. 5:8-24 et seq., and the Raffles
Licensing Law, N.J.S.A. 5:8-50 et seq., and in accordance with the
rules and regulations issued or to be promulgated by the Legalized
Games of Chance Control Commission in the Department of Law and Public
Safety of the State of New Jersey. All applications, licenses and
proceedings in connection therewith shall be subject to the provisions
of such Acts and the rules and regulations and any laws, rules and
regulations hereafter enacted and shall be further subject to the
provisions of this chapter.
No organization shall submit an application to conduct a bingo
or raffle without first having registered with the Legalized Games
of Chance Control Commission as a qualifying organization.
No qualifying organization shall conduct a bingo or raffle without
first having applied for and received a license pursuant to state
law and this chapter.
A.Â
The Somers Point City Clerk, and the Somers Point Deputy City Clerk
in the City Clerk's absence, are authorized and delegated by
the governing body to be the issuing authority for raffle and gaming
licenses in the City of Somers Point, County of Atlantic.
B.Â
The Municipal Clerk shall report the issuance of such licenses to
the City Council not less than monthly.
A.Â
All completed applications for bingo or raffle licenses shall be
submitted to the City Clerk on forms required by the Legalized Games
of Chance Control Commission, together with the required fees, pursuant
N.J.A.C. 13:47-4.9, and sufficiently in advance of the planned event
to allow compliance with the time frames required by state law. The
applicant shall demonstrate, in writing, compliance with the provisions
of all applicable laws and regulations.
B.Â
The City Clerk, and/or the Deputy City Clerk, and the Chief of Police
shall be responsible to make all investigations of the qualifications
of each applicant as required by N.J.S.A. 5:8-27 or N.J.S.A. 5:8-52.
C.Â
The issuing authority shall approve or deny all applications for
bingo or raffle licenses with due expedition after the filing of the
application.
D.Â
No raffle, bingo or other game of chance license shall be issued
except in compliance with the time period required by law or regulations.
A bingo or raffle license may be issued for any day of the year
without limitation, as provided by N.J.S.A. 5:8-31 and N.J.S.A. 5:8-58.
The City Council, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 5:8-30 and N.J.S.A. 5:8-57,
may suspend and revoke any issued bingo or raffle license, after a
hearing, for any violation of this chapter or state law. The Council
may suspend the operation of a bingo or raffle pending hearing, in
which case a hearing must be held within five days after such action.
Notice of a hearing shall be served personally upon an officer of
the licensee or the member in charge of the conduct of the bingo or
raffle or sent by registered mail or certified mail to the licensee
at the address shown on the license. All decisions and findings by
the Council regarding the suspension or revocation of a bingo or raffle
license shall be in writing.
Penalties for violation shall be as prescribed in N.J.S.A. 5:8-30.1,
N.J.S.A. 5:8-30.2, N.J.S.A. 5:8-57.1, N.J.S.A. 5:8-57.2. or N.J.S.A.
5:8-68, as applicable.
A certified copy of this chapter shall be filed with the Legalized
Games of Chance Control Commission by the Somers Point City Clerk
within 10 days after same has been adopted, and thereafter as required
by N.J.S.A. 5:8-22.
