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Te Tari Taiwhenua | Department of Internal Affairs

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Services › Casino and Non-Casino Gaming › Housie Game Rules

Overview

Guidance for running a housie/bingo session

Guidance contains information to help you run a housie or bingo session, understand what you can do with the money and what you need to do once the housie or bingo session is completed.

Housie Game Rules

Open the PDF* version of Housie Game Rules (PDF, 129K)* or scroll down to read the HTML version.

Pursuant to section 367(1) of the Gambling Act 2003, I, Christopher Blake, Secretary for Internal Affairs, make the following game rules:

Gambling Act (Housie) Game Rules 2004

Title and commencement

(1) These rules are the Gambling Act (Housie) Game Rules 2004.

(2) These rules shall come into force on the 1st day of July 2004.

Interpretation

(1) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,—

Act means the Gambling Act 2003

authorised purpose means any of the following purposes:
  • (a) a charitable purpose:
  • (b) a non-commercial purpose that is beneficial to the whole or a section of the community:
  • (c) promoting, controlling, and conducting race meetings under the Racing Act 2003, including the payment of stakes:
  • (d) an electioneering purpose
caller means any natural person appointed under rule 5(1) to perform the functions set out in rule 5(2)

card series means a set of housie cards that has the characteristics described in rule 7(3)

completion of a part series means the marking or covering, in the course of a game of housie, of all of the housie numbers in a given arrangement on a housie card that, prior to the commencement of the game, has been determined by the coordinator and communicated to the participants in the game as being the arrangement required to win the part series for that game, being numbers corresponding to any numbers announced by the caller in the course of that game; and part series has a corresponding meaning

completion of a series means the marking or covering, in the course of a game of housie, of all of the housie numbers on a housie card, being numbers corresponding to any numbers announced by the caller in the course of that game; and series has a corresponding meaning

coordinator means any natural person appointed under rule 4(1)

game book means a book of more than one game cards in which each game card belongs to a different card series

game card means a ticket that bears the numbers to be marked or covered by a participant in the course of a single game of housie

game numbers means the numbers within an inclusive range from 1 to 90 or any other inclusive range that, prior to the commencement of the game, has been determined by the coordinator and communicated to the participants in the game as being the range of numbers for that game, being numbers corresponding to the numbers that may be randomly selected by the caller and corresponding to the numbers that are printed on the housie cards for the game

housie card means a game card or a session card

licence has the same meaning as class 3 operator’s licence in section 4(1) of the Act

random selection device means a device or machine that selects entirely at random the numbers to be announced in a game of housie

Secretary means the Secretary for Internal Affairs

session means games of housie where more than one game of housie is conducted by a society or individual on any one day

session card means a ticket that bears the numbers to be marked or covered by a participant during an entire session of housie

(2) Any term or expression that is defined in the Act and used, but not defined, in these rules has the same meaning as in the Act.

Application of rules

These rules apply to all class 1, class 2 or class 3 gambling that is housie.

Coordinators

(1) A coordinator must be appointed:
  • (a) in the case of housie that is class 1 gambling, by the individual or individuals or society conducting the gambling; or
  • (b) in the case of housie that is class 2 gambling or class 3 gambling, by the society or corporate society conducting the gambling.
(2) In the case of housie that is class 2 gambling or class 3 gambling, the coordinator must be the same natural person as the organiser.

(3) The coordinator must ensure that each game of housie under his or her control is conducted in accordance with the Act, any regulations made under it and these rules.

(4) Nothing in subclause (3) derogates from any obligations of a society, an organiser, or an individual conducting class 1 gambling, under any provision of the Act or any rule or regulation made under it.

(5) The coordinator must be present at all times during the conduct of a game or session of housie.

Callers

(1) The coordinator must appoint a person to act as caller in a game or session of housie.

(2) The functions of a caller are to:
  • (a) randomly select, or cause to be randomly selected by means of a random selection device, the numbers for a game of housie; and
  • (b) except where the numbers are automatically announced by a random selection device, announce to the participants in a game of housie the numbers selected.
(3) The caller may perform other functions or tasks relating to the conduct of a game or session of housie as determined from time to time by the coordinator.

(4) The coordinator may also appoint a person or persons to assist the caller in a game or session of housie.

(5) To avoid doubt, the coordinator may also act as caller or assist the caller in a game or session of housie.

Selection of game numbers

The coordinator must ensure that, whatever method is used for selecting game numbers including the use of a random selection device,—
  • (a) the selection process is random;
  • (b) at each selection all game numbers not already selected have an equal chance of being selected; and
  • (c) there is no possibility of selecting the same number twice in any one game.

Housie cards

(1) All housie cards offered for sale for any one game of housie must—
  • (a) contain the same number of game numbers arranged in a similar pattern;
  • (b) be of the same design;
  • (c) at the commencement of the game, stand an equal chance of winning the series and any part series;
  • (d) be from the same card series unless the cards in a card series are exhausted, in which case cards from another card series may be offered for sale; and
  • (e) be numbered consecutively.
(2) Where game cards are sold in game books, the game books must have printed, on the cover of each game book, game book numbers that are numbered consecutively.

(3) A society or an individual conducting housie may not use any card series other than a card series that—
  • (a) is identifiable as a card series by—
    • (i) each card being of the same colour; and
    • (ii) each card having the same serial number printed on it;
  • (b) has printed, on the face of each card, card numbers that are numbered consecutively;
  • (c) does not contain 2 or more cards with the same combination of game numbers; and
  • (d) has a different serial number from that printed on each of the other card series used by the society or individual in the conduct of any game or session of housie.
(4) Session cards may be used only for housie that is class 1 or class 2 gambling.

Conduct of game or session of housie

(1) Every society and coordinator must comply with the following conditions when conducting a game or session of housie:
  • (a) The right to participate in any game of housie must be secured only by the purchase of a housie card or cards:
  • (b) No housie card may be used in any game or session of housie unless it is sold and bought at the venue where, and on the day when, the game or session is to be conducted:
  • (c) No housie card may be held, put aside or otherwise reserved for any person who is not then present if any other person indicates a wish to buy the card and pays for it:
  • (d) No charge may be made for attending a game or session of housie and no other compulsory charge in relation to any game or session of housie may be levied against any of the participants:
  • (e) No housie card for a game of housie may be sold once that game of housie has commenced:
  • (f) Any housie card sold for a game or session of housie must not be sold for any other game or session, as the case may be:
  • (g) Every caller must, immediately after a number is announced in a game of housie, ensure that that number, and all the previous numbers announced in that game, may be viewed by participants until the completion of that game:
  • (h) If the caller or the coordinator becomes aware that an error has been made in the announcement or display of numbers, he or she must immediately make an announcement correcting the error.
(2) Prior to the commencement of a game, the coordinator or caller must announce to all participants full details of the game being played, including the serial number and colour of the card series being used for that game and details of the prizes available for the game in accordance with rule 12.

Coordinator and caller not to play

No coordinator or caller may purchase a card for, or participate as a player in, any game of housie for which he or she is acting as the coordinator or caller or assisting the caller.

Refusal to sell cards

A coordinator may refuse to sell any housie card to any person who, in the opinion of the society or coordinator, appears to be intoxicated, violent, quarrelsome, insulting, or disorderly.

Procedure for determining winners

(1) The winner of a game of housie must be determined in accordance with the following procedure:
  • (a) As soon as any participant announces openly to the other participants and to the coordinator that he or she has completed a part series or series in a game, the coordinator or caller, or some other person appointed by the coordinator under rule 5(4) to assist the caller, must—
    • (i) verify that the participant’s card belongs to the card series that is being played in that game;
    • (ii) verify that each of the numbers on that participant's card relating to the part series or series, as the case may be, corresponds to numbers already selected in that game and announced by the caller;
    • (iii) verify that the part series or series was won on the number last announced; and
    • (iv) ensure that the numbers on the winner's card relating to the part series or series, as the case may be, are announced openly to all participants.
  • (b) Where a participant announces openly to the other participants and to the coordinator that he or she has completed a part series or series in a game and it is discovered that that participant has not completed the part series or series, the game must continue and that card must no longer be played in that game.
(2) Where 2 or more participants announce openly to the other participants and to the coordinator, after the same announcement of a number, that they have completed a part series or series, the procedure prescribed by subclause (1) must be followed in respect of each of those participants; and if it is found that 2 or more participants have in fact properly completed the part series or series, the prize must be shared equally between them.

(3) Where an incorrect number is announced, that incorrect announcement, for the purpose of determining the winner, is taken not to have been made.

Prize money

(1) The total amount paid out by way of a prize or prizes in any game or session of housie
must be as follows:
  • (a) Where only 1 game is played, a minimum of 70 percent of the total money collected from the sale of housie cards for that game:
  • (b) Where a session is conducted, a minimum of 70 percent of the total money collected from the sale of housie cards for all the games in that session.
(2) Before the commencement of each game of housie, the coordinator or caller must—
  • (a) notify the participants whether the prize money is to be paid—
    • (i) to the winner of one or more part series and to the winner of the series; or
    • (ii) to the winner of the series only; and
  • (b) notify the participants of the amount of the prize or prizes to be paid out in respect of that game.
(3) Where a portion of the prize money is payable to the winner of one or more part series, the playing of the game may continue until a participant completes a series, at which time all prizes for that game must be paid out.

(4) Subject to subclause (5), all prizes must be paid out in cash immediately at the conclusion of the game of housie in which the prizes were offered.

(5) Before paying out any prize, the coordinator must announce that the prize is about to be paid out, and that no further claim to a prize in that game will be accepted after payment has been made.

Display of rules and licence

The coordinator of a game or session of housie must ensure that—
  • (a) a copy of these rules, together with any amendments and, where appropriate, any licence, is displayed in a conspicuous place on the premises at which the game or session of housie is being conducted; and
  • (b) there is displayed in a conspicuous place close to where the housie cards are sold a sign containing the following:
    • (i) the name of the society:
    • (ii) the name and a contact address of the coordinator:
    • (iii) the authorised purpose for which the gambling is conducted, stated specifically:
    • (iv) the cost of each housie card:
    • (v) the number of housie cards offered for sale in each game of housie.

Banking

(1) Every society or individual that conducts a game or session of housie must maintain a
cheque account with a bank that is used exclusively for the purpose of banking all money generated from conducting housie.

(2) The coordinator of a game or session of housie must deposit into the society’s cheque account, within 5 working days after each game or session of housie conducted by that coordinator, all the money collected from the sale of cards, less prizes paid, in that game
or session.

(3) All expenses related to the conduct of housie, including any remuneration paid to callers, must be paid by cheque drawn on the cheque account.

(4) A society may not authorise any coordinator or caller to withdraw any money from the cheque account referred to in subclause (1).

Records and auditing

(1) Every society or individual conducting a game or session of housie must,—
  • (a) during the course of each game of housie, keep a record of—
    • (i) the date on which the game was conducted;
    • (ii) the serial number printed on the housie cards sold;
    • (iii) the card numbers of the housie cards sold or, in the case of game cards that are sold in game books, the game book numbers of the game books sold;
    • (iv) the number of housie cards sold;
    • (v) the total money collected from the sale of housie cards; and
    • (vi) the amount or amounts paid out as prizes;
  • (b) keep all invoices and receipts for expenses incurred in the conduct of each game or session of housie;
  • (c) keep all bank statements in respect of the bank account opened by the society or individual pursuant to rule 14 of these rules showing every transaction during the period; and
  • (d) maintain full and complete records of all payments or application of funds to authorised purposes.
(2) Every record, invoice, receipt, bank statement or other document required to be kept under subclause (1)—
  • (a) must be retained by the society or individual for a period of not less than 12 months from the date of the game or session of housie or the transaction to which it relates;
  • (b) subject to section 333(3) and (4) of the Act, must be provided when requested by a gambling inspector pursuant to section 333(1) of the Act; and
  • (c) must, upon request, be provided to the Secretary, for inspection or audit, within 14 days from the date of request.
(3) A society or individual must, upon request, provide to the Secretary any other information relating to the conduct of housie that the Secretary may require, within 14 days from the date of request.

Made this _____ day of ______________ 2004.

Christopher Blake, Secretary for Internal Affairs


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