California Approves Charity Raffles At Major League Sports Events
SACRAMENTO (AP) — California's major league sports clubs could conduct charitable gambling at professional sports venues under legislation approved Wednesday.
The bill gives professional sports teams the exclusive right to conduct charitable gambling by selling raffle tickets known as 50-50. Half the proceeds are paid out as prize money and the other half goes to charities of the team's choice.
The raffles are becoming popular nationwide but are banned under California law that caps charity raffle prizes.
Some nonprofit charities have opposed the bill, saying it gives franchise owners an unfair exemption others don't have.
SB549 by Democratic Sen. Isadore Hall of Compton passed the Assembly Wednesday on a 56-3 vote, with 21 lawmakers opting not to vote.
It returns to the Senate for a final vote.
The bill was introduced to California legislature earlier in July.
For more info on the bill, click here.
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