Maine Code § 17-1837-C

Raffle entry by payment management system
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1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context indicates otherwise, the following terms
have the following meanings.
A. "Geolocation technology" means a computer program or data collection system that can be used
to identify the geographic location of an individual interacting with that computer program or data
collection system through the Internet. [PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]
B. "Payment management system" means a mobile application or other digital platform and the
accompanying computer software used to accept payment for a raffle chance or ticket through the
Internet. [PL 2021, c. 636, §3 (NEW).]
[PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]

2. Use of payment management system. When conducting a raffle under section 1837-A that is
not an Internet raffle, a person or organization may accept payment for a raffle chance or ticket from a
payment management system if:
A. The payment management system is approved by the director under subsection 3; [PL 2021,
c. 636, §3 (NEW).]
B. The raffle chance or ticket is purchased by an individual who is at least 18 years of age; and
[PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]
C. The raffle chance or ticket is purchased by an individual who is physically located in the State
or another state where the purchase of that raffle chance or ticket would be legal under the laws of
that state. [PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]
If the person or organization determines that the purchase of a raffle chance or ticket is made in violation
of paragraph B or C, the person or organization shall immediately refund the payment and void the
raffle chance or ticket associated with the purchase.
If the person or organization conducts a raffle in which a winner receives a firearm, the transfer of that
firearm to the winner must be processed through a holder of a federal license for a dealer in firearms
who is not a dealer in destructive devices under 18 United States Code, Section 923(a)(3)(B).
A person or organization that fails to comply with this subsection commits a civil violation punishable
by a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $5,000.
[PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]
3. Approval of payment management system. Upon request from a person or organization, the
director may approve a payment management system for use by the person or organization in
conducting a raffle that is not an Internet raffle only if the director determines that the payment
management system:
A. Does not permit the extension of credit from the person or organization to an individual who
purchases a raffle chance or ticket; [PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]
B. Does not permit an individual to initiate a transaction to purchase a raffle chance or ticket and
finalize the transaction by providing payment by mail; [PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]
C. Includes adequate measures to ensure that an individual who purchases a raffle chance or ticket
is at least 18 years of age; [PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]
D. Includes geolocation technology to determine with a reasonable degree of certainty the state in
which an individual who purchases a raffle chance or ticket is physically located at the time the
purchase is made and allows a person or organization to prevent an individual from purchasing a
raffle chance or ticket while the individual is physically located in a state where the purchase of
that raffle chance or ticket would not be legal under the laws of that state; [PL 2025, c. 222, §1
(AMD).]
E. Provides for the immediate refund of any payment to purchase a raffle chance or ticket made
by an individual who the person or organization discovers is under 18 years of age at the time of
purchase or was physically located in a state where the raffle being conducted is not legally
permitted at the time of purchase; [PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]
F. Includes adequate measures to protect the privacy and security of payment information
submitted by individuals who purchase raffle chances or tickets during the purchase process; and
[PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]
G. Enables the person or organization to satisfy the record-keeping and reporting requirements in
subsection 6 as well as any other requirements established by the Gambling Control Unit by rule.
[PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]

[PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]
4. Payment; eligible organization. A payment management system approved by the director
under this section may permit the use of a debit card or other payment method that an eligible
organization as described in section 1832, subsection 2 uses to accept membership dues from out-of-
state members and may allow a member of the eligible organization to request that payment for a raffle
chance or ticket be made using the member's funds already within the possession of the eligible
organization.
[PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]
5. Guidance for raffle operators. Upon receipt of a request to approve a payment management
system under subsection 3, the director shall provide the person or organization with a guidance
document including any information the director determines necessary to assist the person or
organization in complying with the requirements of this section.
[PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]
6. Record-keeping and reporting requirements. In addition to the record-keeping requirements
under section 1839, a person or organization that uses a payment management system to conduct a
raffle under section 1837-A for which a registration is required shall:
A. Retain for a period of 3 years an electronic copy of each receipt for the sale of a raffle chance
or ticket sold using the payment management system; [PL 2021, c. 636, §3 (NEW).]
B. Retain for a period of one year a physical copy of each raffle ticket stub generated by the sale
of a chance or ticket for a raffle sold using the payment management system; [PL 2021, c. 636,
§3 (NEW).]
C. Maintain raffle ticket stubs retained under paragraph A or B separately for each individual
raffle; [PL 2021, c. 636, §3 (NEW).]
D. Provide receipts for raffle chances or tickets and raffle ticket stubs retained under this subsection
to the Gambling Control Unit on request; and [PL 2021, c. 636, §3 (NEW).]
E. Submit an annual report to the Gambling Control Unit that includes the number of raffles
conducted using a payment management system during the year covered by the report and the
amount of gross receipts for each of those raffles. [PL 2021, c. 636, §3 (NEW).]
A person or organization that fails to comply with this subsection commits a civil violation punishable
by a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $5,000.
[PL 2025, c. 222, §1 (AMD).]

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