The Center for Community Resources (CCR) will host a workshop on small games of chance on Monday.

Lena Southworth, CCR program supervisor, said many organizations such as clubs, volunteer public services, and nonprofits use small games of chance for fundraisers. That is the audience it is trying to reach.

Diane Marburger, Butler County Treasurer, and James Jones Jr., a state trooper, will be the two presenting the information, according to Southworth.

“(The speakers are) going to pretty much speak to them about what is legal and what is illegal for their organization,” Southworth said.

There are eight activities designated as small games of chance: Pull-tab games, punchboards, raffles, including special permit raffles, daily drawings, weekly drawings, fifty-fifty drawings, including major league sports drawings, race night games and pools, excluding sports pools.

Southworth said a few ways to evaluate the legality of a game are to look at the way the game is played and the results.

“There always has to be a winner of a raffle,” she said. “(And) raffle tickets must be printed in accordance with Pennsylvania regulations to be valid.”

Southworth said an organization using any of these games to raise money will need a small games of chance license. She said the workshop will review the application process and advise on the best ways to adhere to the law.

Southworth said the event is not meant to discourage any games. She said small games of chance can make an organization a lot of money quickly, which makes them an asset.

“If you're holding an event and you have a 50-50 or you have a Chinese auction, those are good fundraising sources for the organizations,” Southworth said.

She said the goal is to encourage playing the games the right way.

“I just hope they come out of the workshop with a better understanding of the Pennsylvania game laws in regards to small games of chance.”