Amusement games (charitable or nonprofit)

Learn who can offer charitable or nonprofit amusement games, including applications, training information, and recordkeeping requirements.

Who can apply for a charitable or nonprofit amusement game license

If you are a bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization, you may offer unlicensed amusement games in certain circumstances, and may also apply to offer licensed amusement games.

Learn more about our licensing requirements for charitable or nonprofit organizations.

About amusement games

Visit the Washington State Legislature site to see all the rules that govern amusement games (apps.leg.wa.gov).

"Amusement game" means a game played for entertainment in which:

  • The contestant actively participates
  • The outcome depends in a material degree upon the skill of the contestant
  • Only merchandise prizes are awarded
  • The outcome is not in the control of the operator
  • The wagers are placed, the winners are determined, and a distribution of prizes or property is made in the presence of all persons placing wagers at such game
  • Cake walks and fish ponds are considered amusement games
  • The game is conducted or operated by any agricultural fair, person, or association at authorized locations.

Unlicensed amusement games

You may offer a maximum of 2 unlicensed raffle, bingo, or amusement game events per calendar year. You may offer 1 of different types of activities, but the total number of unlicensed events cannot exceed 2 for the year.

  • You may allow the public to participate in the activity, as well as members of your organization
  • Liquor and firearms must not be awarded as prizes
  • Records must be kept for 1 year
  • Notify local police at least 5 days in advance
  • Bingo and amusement games can be offered up to 12 consecutive days
  • Gross revenues (money taken in) to the organization from all the activities together do not exceed $5,000 during any calendar year.

Licensed amusement games

You must have a gambling license if:

  • You want to offer more than 2 public raffles, bingo, or amusement game events in a calendar year
  • The combined gross revenue from your 2 unlicensed public raffles, bingo, or amusement game events will exceed $5,000 in a calendar year.

How to apply

In addition to all the materials outlined in our licensing process, the complete application includes the application fee.

Apply for a license online through MyAccount unless you're approved for an online waiver. You must be registered for SecureAccess Washington (SAW).

Visit the Washington State Legislature site to see if you qualify for an online waiver (apps.leg.wa.gov). 

Learn how to register for MyAccount 

  1. Use your SAW username and password to log in to MyAccount 
  2. In the MyAccount home page, click on your name and choose Profile in the drop-down menu
  3. Click the 'Create Organization Request' button
  4. If the nonprofit organization exists in our system, 'Create Organization Request' is used to add a user to the organization's MyAccount. If the organization is not in our system, then this action will create a temporary organization in our system and allow you to apply for a license
  5. Complete the form for the new organization. Any field with a red asterisk is a required field. Submit the form
  6. In the Application tab, click 'New License Application' button
  7. Select the license type of the gambling activity you're applying for and complete all required fields to submit your application
  8. Pay for the application fee in the Billing and Payment tab.

Current licensees: Add amusement games to your existing gambling license

If you already have an active gambling license with us and would like to add an additional gambling activity:

  1. Use your SAW username and password to log in to MyAccount 
  2. Click on the Application tab. In the drop-down menu, click on Application
  3. Click 'New License Application' button
  4. Select the license type of the gambling activity you're applying for and complete all required fields to submit your application
  5. Pay for the application fee in the Billing and Payment tab.

Required training

After we grant your license, you have 30 days to complete your required training:

Highest-Ranking Officer

In addition to the above training for your activity, you must also review the following:

Required recordkeeping

You must:

  • Keep records to provide in case we audit your business
  • Complete the records within 30 days of the last day of each month, every month.

Use these to help you keep records that meet our standards.

Retaining your records

You must retain the records for 3 years from the end of your fiscal year.

Renewing your license

Licenses expire each year. Learn more about how to renew your license.

Reporting changes to your license

There are certain changes you must tell us about. Learn how to report changes to your license.

Helpful rules

Learn who qualifies as a bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization (app.leg.wa.gov)

Learn when no license is required for bingo, raffles, and amusement games (app.leg.wa.gov)