North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee 1 D cosponsors

HB 988 — Revise Law on Instant Bingo.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced April 10, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Stalled 16% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    0 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 D).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

99 added · 98 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of House Bill 988 includes several small but important changes, primarily focusing on definitions related to local law enforcement and bingo games. One key change clarifies the definition of "local law-enforcement agency," specifying the role of municipal police in conducting bingo games. Additionally, it adjusts the language concerning "beach bingo games," ensuring that the limit on prizes is clearly defined. These amendments help to clarify who oversees bingo operations and ensure that regulations around the types of prizes are explicit, which is important for fair play and compliance with local laws.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA H.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 1 HOUSE BILL 988 Short Title:
988 Apr 10, 2025 SESSION 2025 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK H D HOUSE BILL DRH40516-ML-132 Short Title:
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO REVISE THE LAWS GOVERNING INSTANT BINGO GAMES, TO REVISE THE METHOD BY WHICH FUNDS RECEIVED IN CONNECTION WITH A BINGO GAME MAY BE DISBURSED, AND TO MAKE VARIOUS TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House April 14, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO REVISE THE LAWS GOVERNING INSTANT BINGO GAMES, TO REVISE THE METHOD BY WHICH FUNDS RECEIVED IN CONNECTION WITH A BINGO GAME MAY BE DISBURSED, AND TO MAKE VARIOUS TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
– For any bingo game conducted outside the corporate limits of a municipality or inside the corporate limits of a municipality having no municipal police force:force, this term means either of the following:
– For any bingo game conducted outside the corporate limits of a municipality *H988-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 or inside the corporate limits of a municipality having no municipal police force:force, this term means either of the following:
*DRH40516-ML-132* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 a.
a.
No more than two sessions of bingo shall be operated or conducted in any one building, hall or structure during any one calendar week and if two sessions are held, they must be held by the same exempt organization.
No more than two sessions of bingo shall be operated or conducted in any one building, hall or structure during anyone calendar week and if two sessions are held, theymust be held bythe same exempt organization.
Provided, however, that if an exempt organization holds only one session of bingo during a calendar week, the maximum aggregate amount of prizes, in cash and/orcash, merchandise, orcash and merchandise, thatmaybeofferedor paid at any onesession is two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500).
Provided, however, that if an exempt organization holds only one session of bingo during a calendar week, the maximum aggregate amount of prizes, in cash and/orcash, merchandise, orcash and merchandise, thatmaybeoffered or paid at anyonesession is two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500).
(d) Priortouse,electronicinstantbingosystemsshallbetestedby anindependentgaming test laboratory and certified as compliant with the GLI-14 standard produced by Gaming Laboratories International, LLC." SECTION 5.
Page 2 House Bill 988-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (d) Priortouse,electronicinstantbingosystemsshall betestedbyanindependentgaming test laboratory and certified as compliant with the GLI-14 standard produced by Gaming Laboratories International, LLC." SECTION 5.
Page 2 DRH40516-ML-132 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 "§ 14-309.11.
"§ 14-309.11.
(b) An audit of the account required by subsection (a) of this section shall be prepared annually fortheperiodofJanuary1 throughDecember31 orotherwiseas directedbytheAlcohol Law Enforcement Division of the Department of Public Safety and shall be filed with the Division and the local law-enforcement agency at a time directed by the Division.
(b) An audit of the account required by subsection (a) of this section shall be prepared annuallyfortheperiodofJanuary1throughDecember31orotherwiseas directedbytheAlcohol Law Enforcement Division of the Department of Public Safety and shall be filed with the Division and the local law-enforcement agencyat a time directed bythe Division.
DRH40516-ML-132 Page 3
House Bill 988-First Edition Page 3
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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0 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 178 not signed on

Sponsors (0)

None.

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (178)

178 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 178 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety elections
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 988?
HB 988 is sponsored by Zack Hawkins (Democratic).
What is the current status of HB 988?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced April 10, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 988?
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