Kentucky Charitable Gaming Association Addresses New Regulations

The Kentucky Charitable Gaming Association, one of the nation's most active and organized charitable gaming groups, is addressing the concerns of its members in a series of meetings over the next week throughout the state.

(PRWEB) July 14, 2006 -- In a scheduled series of statewide meetings, the Kentucky Charitable Gaming Association (KCGA) hopes to begin a constructive dialogue between agency (Office of Charitable Gaming) officials and concerned licensees. The issue at hand is a series of recently published regulations which were intended to strengthen the integrity of Kentucky’s charitable gaming industry.

"They're regging us to death," said a bingo volunteer, on condition of anonymity. "We're just volunteers trying to help our communities...these regs will put us out of business."

The new additions to KAR 820 - over 100 pages in total - cover every aspect of charitable gaming from the tracking of raffle tickets to bingo revenue reporting. "I can't believe the amount of reporting they want us to do. My CPA said it was ridiculous," said the volunteer. "And despite all that new paperwork, they put more restrictions on our volunteers. It doesn't make sense."

Office of Charitable Gaming (OCG) officials have been quick to respond, offering free statewide training classes, and agreeing to travel to several of these meetings to answer questions and complaints.

In the past two years, Department of Public Protection Commissioner Chris Lilly and OCG Executive Director Tony Royalty have been open and cooperative with KCGA members and other licensees. Ron Morris, Executive Director of the KCGA, has expressed optimism that the issues can be resolved. “Our organization hopes that with these meetings we will be able to point out the problems our members face with compliance to the new regs. It is our intent that when the OCG becomes fully aware of the struggles of our volunteers, they will suspend the more arduous regulations and allow the KCGA to assist them in seeking a better way.”

For more information on the meetings and charitable gaming in Kentucky, please visit them at www.kentuckycharitablegaming.org.

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