Marj Andre asked the staff at Bingo World (Richmond Hill) and the Richmond Hill Hall Charities Association to tell us a little more.....
Can you define what Charitable Gaming is?
Charitable Gaming – or cGaming – refers to the type of electronic bingo and gaming you see at Bingo World.
Charities have always used bingo as an opportunity for fundraising. With the introduction of electronic bingo technology, charities have moved from a “conduct and manage” role to a support role for operators like Bingo World. In exchange, charities receive a share of the proceeds that are raised at the centre. It continues to be a significant fundraising opportunity for charities and not-for-profits.
How does it work at Bingo World?
The Richmond Hill Hall Charity Association (RHHCA) is the Charitable Gaming Centre Association at Bingo World Richmond Hill. We are under contract with Ontario Lottery & Gaming (OLG). The association has 49 members, a Board of Directors, and a Charity Coordinator staff person who are responsible for meeting all of our obligations under that contract. We are supported by the Ontario Charitable Gaming Association (OCGA) who develop policies and standards, training materials, and liaise collective with the OLG and the operators’ association. RHHCA works with Bingo World to support their customer service work.
What criteria are there for a charity/service club/non-profit to be involved at Bingo World?
There are detailed guidelines about eligibility and how proceeds can be used. Any eligible organization must apply to the City of Richmond Hill for a permit to participate in charitable gaming at Bingo World. The City is responsible for evaluating their eligibility and approving their permit.
A charity or not-for-profit organization must have charitable purposes that fall under several defined classifications of public benefit: relief of poverty, advancement of education, advancement of religion, or other purposes beneficial to the community (this is a broad category that includes promotion of arts and culture activities; cultural ethnic, native, historic or heritage pursuits; improvement of the quality of health through medical research; treatment programs and preventative programs; youth sporting activities; and community projects undertaken by service organizations.)
The proceeds that are raised have to be used in a way that is consistent with the charitable purposes of the organization, and benefit residents of Ontario.
What do these organizations do once they are approved?
Once the City has approved a permit, RHHCA takes on their orientation, completing the necessary agreements and meeting to go over the requirements.
Their volunteers have to be trained on their roles and responsibilities: this is a combination of standard online training that applies throughout Ontario, and location-specific shadowing at Bingo World.
The organization will be scheduled for shifts at the centre, and will have to provide two trained volunteers for each of their shifts. During their shift, they are providing a customer support role—greeting and thanking customers, helping keep the centre clean and tidy, and being a visible part of Bingo World.
Organizations are also responsible for monthly reporting to the City on their disbursement of the proceeds.
Can new organizations get involved?
Yes – the City is currently accepting applications for new members. All applications are handled by the City, but RHHCA will help answer organization’s questions about what is involved specifically. You can always learn more by contacting us at [email protected]
How is the amount a charity receives determined? What can make a charity more successful at receiving a lot of funds?
Collectively, all of the organizations receive a percentage of the total bingo proceeds each month. That total is then shared equally among all of the organizations, based on the number of shifts that each organization completes during the month. An organization that does one shift in a month would receive one share, and so forth.
Charities are successful when Bingo World is successful. That’s why our partnership is so important, and helping to provide a memorable experience for the customers.
How is it decided which ones of the eligible charities participate at each time?
The City of Richmond Hill defines how many shifts each organization will receive based on the size of the organization, their budget, their use of proceeds, and their compliance with the terms of the permit. RHHCA then sets the schedule for the specific charity shifts.
What opportunities do the charities have to promote their causes?
One of the reasons why it’s important for charities to be visible in Bingo World is to be able to talk about their work if the customers are interested in learning more. We also have a brochure rack where customers can take away information about the different organizations. Online, Bingo World does a great job of amplifying their social media so that followers can learn more about how the bingo proceeds are benefiting the organizations and their missions.
Our provincial association has also launched the Charitable Gaming Community Good initiative to increase awareness of the role of charitable gaming in the province. You can visit it at www.charitablegaming.ca. They are telling stories from across the province about what these organizations do, and how their work has been supported through charitable gaming.
