All 348 holders of games-of-chance licenses in the county recently received a letter from Diane Marburger, county treasurer, informing them that it is illegal to accept credit cards for payment in virtual or in-person raffles.

Marburger said in the letter that she spoke to a representative of the Liquor Control Enforcement Division of the State Police, which enforces small games-of-chance laws.

“The captain with whom I spoke confirmed that all online sales of raffle tickets using credit cards are illegal,” Marburger wrote in the letter.

She said due to the coronavirus pandemic, many organizations have turned to online raffle ticket sales to conform to pandemic protocol while continuing their vital fundraisers.

While Marburger agrees that debit cards connected to a checking account should be permitted for raffle purchases, she said the captain she spoke to advised her that online raffle tickets can only be purchased through Venmo or PayPal.

Nicole Karenbauer, administrative assistant at St. Wendelin Catholic School in Summit Township, said she interpreted Marburger's letter to mean debit cards could be accepted.

She also researched the issue online and came up with the same result.

“Unless somebody tells me different, that's what we're going to do,” Karenbauer said of accepting debit cards as payment for raffle tickets.

She said the school is holding a pandemic-friendly drive-through turkey dinner fundraiser from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday and 15 raffle baskets are up for grabs.

Tickets for the baskets are available at www.stwendelinschool.com, and Karenbauer put a notice on the site that credit cards cannot be used to purchase tickets along with the school's small-games-of-chance number.

“We haven't been able to hold a lot of the fundraisers that we usually do, so we are trying to find ways to bring back funds,” Karenbauer said.

Larry Shuler, president of Herman Volunteer Fire Company, said the issue is now before the fire company's board of directors, but plans are afoot to add information to the website that credit cards cannot be accepted for payment for the popular and longtime monthly cash raffle.

He said ticket sales for the raffle declined after the pandemic struck the area, as many were sold in restaurants, bars and businesses that were part of the mandated closures.

In January, before the pandemic arrived in the area, the raffle prize was almost $5,200. In April, it was down to $3,500.

But the prize, which is based on the amount raised in ticket sales, rebounded to $5,000 in October due to online sales, Shuler said.

He said the fire company sold 30 books of tickets per month online before the pandemic as opposed to more than 130 per month now.

Shuler said prohibiting credit cards will “absolutely” affect ticket sales.

“There are definitely some people who are going to get chased away seeing they can't use a credit card,” he said.

He said prohibiting credit card sales for their raffle is one more challenge in an already difficult year.

“It definitely makes us a little nervous on how we're going to support this and keep it legal, so we don't get any fines or shut down,” Shuler said.

Kathy Dudley, director of development at Butler Catholic School, said Marburger's letter delayed an online basket raffle the school was planning to kick off Monday.

She said while credit cards will not be accepted as payment, it was the part of the letter listing requirements for conducting a raffle that pushed the school's online event to begin Wednesday.

Originally, Dudley planned to use an online web provider to handle the basket raffle, but that provider uses an online generator to pick winners and does not offer participants a paper or online ticket stub as required.

Dudley said each ticket holder for the basket raffle will receive an email with their order number, which will serve as their ticket stub.

“We will physically draw (winners) at school, whereas before it was going to be all online,” she said.

Those who buy tickets online will still be able to pick the baskets they want to bid on, Dudley said.

The basket themes include lottery tickets, gift cards to area businesses, aromatherapy and a basket of Nerf guns.

“What might work for one person would work for all,” Dudley said.

She said those who want a paper ticket stub can call the school and one will be sent out, but there is not enough time in the raffle to send everyone a paper stub.

“We want the raffle over by black Friday,” Dudley said.

Marburger said she has not checked any websites to ensure those in the county with small-games-of-chance licenses are complying with the state requirement.

“My job is to issue the licenses to eligible organizations,” Marburger said. “My letter was just a courtesy on how to keep it legitimate.”

She said the Liquor Control Enforcement Division of the State Police is tasked with enforcing the requirement.

“Nobody wants to break the law,” Marburger said. “Everyone wants to do things the right way.”