Yonkers, NY Gambling & Gaming: Charitable Bingo and Raffles (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted
- March 22, 1983, L.L. No. 5-1983
- Authority
- GML Article 9-A (not bingo's Art. 14-H)
- Games per year
- 12 license periods maximum
- Single prize cap
- $100 per game
- Occasion prize cap
- $1,000 aggregate per occasion
- License fee
- $25/period to play, $50 lessor
- Enforcement
- Commissioner of Police
Summary
Yonkers licenses charitable, religious, veterans' and similar nonprofit groups to run games of chance under its own 1983 Games of Chance Licensing Law, adopted under General Municipal Law Article 9-A. Games are capped at 12 per year per organization, prizes cannot exceed $100 per game or $1,000 per occasion, and games are barred on Sundays, Easter, Christmas and New Year's Eve.
§ 34-9. Frequency of games. No games or games of chance shall be conducted under any license issued under this chapter more often than 12 times in any calendar year. Games shall be conducted only between the hours of 12:00 noon and 12:00 midnight on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and only between the hours of 12:00 noon on Friday and 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, and only between the hours of 12:00 noon on Saturday and 2:00 a.m. on Sunday. The 2:00 a.m. closing period shall also apply to a legal holiday.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4745274; v31 updated 2025-10-28; through 10-28-2025).
Full Breakdown
L. No. § 34-10 caps admission at $2 per person and requires every prize to be awarded the same calendar day the game is played, with no alcohol given as a prize. § 34-12 adds a 5% fee on net proceeds after each license period, and the Commissioner of Police enforces the chapter under § 34-18.
Violations & Fines
Conducting unlicensed games of chance, or willfully violating Chapter 34, is a misdemeanor under § 34-17, which also forfeits any license issued and exposes the organization to the additional penalties in General Municipal Law Article 9-A. Filing a materially false statement in a license application carries the same misdemeanor exposure. The Police Commissioner is the enforcement officer under § 34-18, and the Clerk can deny, amend or decline to renew a license after a hearing under § 34-15.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which nonprofits can run games of chance in Yonkers?
How often can a licensed group hold games of chance in Yonkers?
Is there a prize limit on Yonkers games of chance?
Does the Yonkers games-of-chance law cover bingo too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yonkers
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