{"id":208041,"date":"2026-06-02T03:34:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T03:34:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/208041\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T03:34:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T03:34:17","slug":"a-gap-in-pennsylvania-law-has-put-fire-companies-and-county-treasurers-at-odds-over-online-raffles-theyre-asking-lawmakers-for-an-update-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/208041\/","title":{"rendered":"A gap in Pennsylvania law has put fire companies and county treasurers at odds over online raffles. They\u2019re asking lawmakers for an update."},"content":{"rendered":"

This story was produced by the\u00a0State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA<\/a>, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for Talk of the Town, a newsletter of local stories that dig deep, events, and more from north-central PA, at\u00a0spotlightpa.org\/newsletters\/talkofthetown<\/a>.<\/p>\n

BELLEFONTE \u2014 Centre County\u2019s chief financial officer has warned fire companies that host online raffles that their gaming licenses could be revoked, a serious issue that could force them to choose between forgoing needed revenue and risking fines.<\/p>\n

The recent notices from Treasurer Colleen Kennedy to at least two departments \u2014 Howard and Centre Hall Volunteer Fire Companies \u2014 stem from a gap in Pennsylvania\u2019s law covering small games of chance, which doesn\u2019t explicitly address online raffles.<\/p>\n

Fire companies say the virtual events build on traditional fundraising like donation drives, carnivals, pancake breakfasts, and chicken dinners, which help pay for essential gear, fuel, and trucks. That support often makes the difference between staying open and shutting down.<\/p>\n

But the technology has evolved faster than updates to the state law that regulates raffles, pull-tab games, fifty-fifty drawings, and more. Lawmakers in Harrisburg have\u00a0failed<\/a>\u00a0to modernize the law, so Kennedy says she must enforce the rules as written.<\/p>\n

Howard Fire Company President Bill Nearhoof hopes to reach a compromise with the county treasurer, who told the department she is withholding special raffle permits for drawings scheduled in late April until it shuts down its online shop.<\/p>\n

In May, the department held a two-hour meeting with members and decided to continue online raffles, he told Spotlight PA. They hope to find a \u201cmiddle ground,\u201d Nearhoof added.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we be far enough into compliance so we can continue with this, or do we have to shut down?\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s still to be determined.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aided by a fire tax collected by three of the four municipalities in its coverage area, the department is in a good financial spot, he said. Online raffle revenue just gives them an extra boost, Nearhoof added.<\/p>\n

Centre Hall Volunteer Fire Company didn\u2019t respond to an interview request.<\/p>\n

The issue was brought to Kennedy\u2019s attention by another license holder from an organization that doesn\u2019t use online raffles to fundraise and was frustrated that other local companies had adopted the practice, she said. Kennedy told Spotlight PA she doesn\u2019t want \u201cto be in a position of penalizing people who are just trying to do fundraising.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut at the same time, it needs to be a level playing field,\u201d she said. \u201cWe can\u2019t have some people just flouting the law while other people are trying to abide by the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Existing state law \u2014 the\u00a0Local Option Small Games of Chance Act<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 requires that players of small games of chance be 18 or older and pay with cash, a check, or a money order. Rules also mandate that whoever conducts raffles must do so \u201copenly and in plain view of players present,\u201d as well as make the drawn ticket stubs available for inspection.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe law doesn\u2019t specifically say you can\u2019t do an online raffle because it wasn\u2019t even conceived of when the law was written,\u201d Kennedy said.<\/p>\n

Some uncertainty with these online events dates back to the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person events were paused.<\/p>\n

Many fire companies shifted their efforts online and had success.<\/p>\n

But some counties warned organizations that the practice could violate their licenses and potentially lead to fines or loss of permits. And while state House lawmakers approved\u00a0temporary measures<\/a>\u00a0in 2021 to let nonprofits accept payments via Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App during the health emergency, those never passed the state Senate.<\/p>\n

Some fire departments continue to hold online raffles across the state. Others fear the risks.<\/p>\n

Violations can carry civil and criminal penalties. A county treasurer can opt not to renew a small games of chance license. Fines vary depending on the organization and whether it\u2019s a first or repeat offense, ranging from a few hundred dollars to $1,500.<\/p>\n

Kennedy is reluctant to pursue any of those options \u201cbecause no one wants to penalize the local fire company for trying to raise money.\u201d But without legal change, she said her hands are tied.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fix is not immediate, and I don\u2019t know if there is a way to enact some kind of quick fix to allow this, but I hope to get to a solution,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

In emails sent to the departments, which Spotlight PA obtained through a records request, Kennedy reiterated that unwillingness but said, \u201cIt\u2019s unfair to licensed organizations in our county that are conducting their raffles lawfully.\u201d A lack of response only encourages the practice, she wrote.<\/p>\n

Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna said his office has no plans to prosecute fire companies for holding online raffles, which would be a summary offense.<\/p>\n

Fire companies are \u201calways in financial strain to raise funds and keep their operations running,\u201d and they need as much support as possible, Cantorna told Spotlight PA. Passing legislation to modernize the law is a \u201cno-brainer,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven our elected officials in Harrisburg should be able to figure it out,\u201d Cantorna said.<\/p>\n

In rural Sullivan County, the commissioners and treasurer recently sent letters to their state legislators urging authorization of online raffles, some cashless payment methods, and electronic ticketing systems, as well as establishment of security measures for these practices and \u201cuniform statewide guidance\u201d to help county oversight.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe current framework was constructed around a traditional, in-person fundraising model involving paper raffle tickets, physical ticket stubs, cash transactions, and in-person drawings,\u201d they wrote. \u201cWhile these safeguards have historically provided a reliable compliance structure, they were drafted before the emergence of modern electronic commerce, electronic banking systems, and online fundraising platforms now routinely utilized by charitable organizations and volunteer fire companies.\u201d<\/p>\n

The request \u201cis not intended to expand gambling opportunities\u201d in Pennsylvania, they wrote, but to encourage a modern framework \u201cwhile continuing to operate within a regulated, transparent, and accountable system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Updating the state\u2019s small games of chance law isn\u2019t a new topic among lawmakers.<\/p>\n

Policymakers have introduced a range of bills to modernize the language over the years \u2014 including proposals to allow\u00a0cashless payments<\/a>, create an\u00a0online raffle pilot program<\/a>, and\u00a0authorize them entirely<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 but the efforts stalled in the divided legislature.<\/p>\n

Traditional fundraisers can fall short of the rising costs of trucks, gear, fuel, and training, said state Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R., Centre). And online raffles can only cover so much, he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think the firefighters and the fire companies are getting rich off this thing,\u201d Benninghoff told Spotlight PA. \u201cIt\u2019s about trying to sustain themselves with an activity that has a better rate of return than carnivals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Benninghoff said fire companies should be given the option to legally hold these online fundraisers, adding that this should include parameters to ensure proper bookkeeping and accounting.<\/p>\n

Multiple pieces of legislation to allow online raffles and accommodate cashless payment methods are sitting in the state House Gaming Oversight Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Patrick Harkins (D., Erie). His office declined to comment and directed Spotlight PA to a spokesperson for the caucus.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Rementer, a spokesperson for state House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D., Montgomery) told Spotlight PA in an email that they\u2019re \u201creviewing the bills.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rementer\u00a0told Spotlight PA in late 2024<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 when a bill allowing for cashless payments stalled in the House \u2014 that leadership hadn\u2019t heard \u201cfrom nonprofits that this is an issue, but we would be happy to revisit this issue next session.\u201d<\/p>\n

That two-year session ends in November, so any bill that hasn\u2019t passed both chambers and been signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro by then essentially dies and must be reintroduced in 2027 to start the legislative process over again.<\/p>\n

SUPPORT THIS JOURNALISM\u00a0and help us reinvigorate local news in north-central Pennsylvania at\u00a0spotlightpa.org\/donate<\/a>. Spotlight PA is funded by\u00a0foundations and readers like you<\/a>\u00a0who are committed to accountability and public-service journalism that gets results.<\/p>\n

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n

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