AI-assisted research summary: This section makes several bingo-act violations crimes, sets felony/misdemeanor penalties, allows possible license cancellation for repeated violations, assigns prosecution duties to the Attorney General and county attorney, and lets the department seek help from law enforcement.
(1) Except when another penalty is specifically provided, any person, licensee, or permittee, or employee or agent thereof, who violates any provision of the Nebraska Bingo Act, or who causes, aids, abets, or conspires with another to cause any person, licensee, or permittee, or any employee or agent thereof, to violate the act, shall be guilty of a Class I misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class IV felony for any second or subsequent violation. Any licensee guilty of violating any provision of the act more than once in a twelve-month period may have its license canceled or revoked. (2) Each of the following violations of the Nebraska Bingo Act shall be a Class IV felony: (a) Giving, providing, or offering to give or provide, directly or indirectly, to any public official, employee, or agent of this state, or any agencies or political subdivisions of the state, any compensation or reward or share of the money for property paid or received through gambling activities regulated under Chapter 9 in consideration for obtaining any license, authorization, permission, or privilege to participate in any gaming operation except as authorized by the Nebraska Bingo Act or any rules or regulations adopted and promulgated pursuant to such act; (b) Knowingly filing a false report under the Nebraska Bingo Act; or (c) Knowingly falsifying or making any false entry in any books or records with respect to any transaction connected with the conduct of bingo activity. (3) Intentionally employing or possessing any device to facilitate cheating in a bingo game or using any fraudulent scheme or technique in connection with any bingo game is a violation of the Nebraska Bingo Act. The offense is a: (a) Class II misdemeanor when the amount gained or intended to be gained through the use of such items, schemes, or techniques is less than five hundred dollars; (b) Class I misdemeanor when the amount gained or intended to be gained through the use of such items, schemes, or techniques is five hundred dollars or more but less than one thousand five hundred dollars; and (c) Class IV felony when the amount gained or intended to be gained through the use of such items, schemes, or techniques is one thousand five hundred dollars or more. (4) In all proceedings initiated in any court or otherwise under the Nebraska Bingo Act, it shall be the duty of the Attorney General and appropriate county attorney to prosecute and defend all such proceedings. (5) The failure to do any act required by or under the Nebraska Bingo Act shall be deemed an act in part in the principal office of the department. Any prosecution under such act may be conducted in any county where the defendant resides or has a place of business or in any county in which any violation occurred. (6) In the enforcement and investigation of any offense committed under the Nebraska Bingo Act, the department may call to its aid any sheriff, deputy sheriff, or other peace officer in the state. History: Laws 1978, LB 351, § 47; Laws 1983, LB 259, § 32; Laws 1984, LB 949, § 43; Laws 1985, LB 408, § 16; R.S.Supp.,1985, § 9-170; Laws 1986, LB 1027, § 63; Laws 1987, LB 523, § 1; Laws 1988, LB 295, § 33; Laws 1995, LB 344, § 9; Laws 1997, LB 248, § 8; Laws 2015, LB605, § 1.