A bill that would allow bingo and raffle games to be conducted at any time, including daily, for religious, educational or charitable purposes has been introduced into the House of Representatives in American Samoa.
The Samoa News reports that the measure seeks to delete the word "occasional" from the anti-gambling statute which now says that all gambling activity is criminal except for the occasional playing of bingo or the selling of chances for the raffling of an item of value.
If this new bill passes, any time an organization wants to conduct a bingo or a raffle for religious, educational and charitable purposes, even daily, then it would be allowed.
The measure also adds a new provision that says the "winnings or prizes from raffle or bingo games shall be considered income for tax purposes, except if the winnings and prizes are food or food items."
