Section 20-344. Investigation; matters to be determined; issuance of license; fees; duration of license

a.  The  commissioner  shall  make  an  investigation of the qualifications of each applicant and the merits  of
  each   application,   with  due  expedition  after  the  filing  of  the
  application, and if he or she shall determine that the applicant is duly
  qualified to be licensed to conduct  bingo  under  this  subchapter  and
  article  fourteen-H  of  the  general  municipal law; that the member or
  members of the applicant designated in the application to conduct  bingo
  are  bona  fide  active members of the applicant and are persons of good
  moral character and have never been convicted of a crime; that such game
  is to be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter,
  article fourteen-H of the general municipal law and in  accordance  with
  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  commission, and that the proceeds
  thereof are to be disposed of as provided by this subchapter and article
  fourteen-H of the general municipal law,  and  if  the  commissioner  is
  satisfied that no commission, salary, compensation, reward or recompense
  whatever  will  be  paid  or  given  to any person holding, operating or
  conducting or assisting in the holding, operation  and  conduct  of  any
  such  games  except  as  in this subchapter or article fourteen-H of the
  general municipal law otherwise provided; and  that  no  prize  will  be
  offered  and  given  in  excess of the sum or value of two hundred fifty
  dollars in any single game and that the aggregate of all prizes  offered
  and  given  in  all  of such games conducted on a single occasion, under
  said license shall not exceed the sum or value of one thousand  dollars,
  he  or  she  shall  issue  a license to the applicant for the conduct of
  bingo upon payment of a license  fee  of  ten  dollars  for  each  bingo
  occasion;  provided,  however,  that  he  or she shall refuse to issue a
  license to an applicant seeking  to  conduct  bingo  in  premises  of  a
  licensed  commercial lessor where he or she determines that the premises
  presently owned or occupied by  said  applicant  are  in  every  respect
  adequate and suitable for conducting bingo games.
    b.  Issuance  of  licenses  to commercial lessors. If the commissioner
  shall determine that the applicant seeking to lease a hall  or  premises
  for the conduct of bingo to an authorized organization is duly qualified
  to  be  licensed  under  this  subchapter  and article fourteen-H of the
  general municipal law; that the applicant satisfies the requirements for
  an authorized commercial lessor as defined in article fourteen-H of  the
  general  municipal law; that the schedule of proposed rentals provides a
  fair and reasonable return  on  the  applicant's  investment;  that  the
  applicant  has  filed  a schedule of proposed rentals in accordance with
  the rules and regulations of the commission and that the commission  has
  approved such schedule as fair and reasonable and as the maximum rentals
  the  applicant  may charge to any authorized organization; that there is
  no diversion of the  funds  of  the  proposed  lessee  from  the  lawful
  purposes  as defined in article fourteen-H of the general municipal law;
  and that such leasing of a hall or premises for the conduct of bingo  is
  to  be  in  accordance  with  the provisions of this subchapter, article
  fourteen-H of the general municipal law and in accordance with the rules
  and regulations of the commission, he  or  she  shall  issue  a  license
  permitting the applicant to lease said premises for the conduct of bingo
  to  the  authorized  organization  or  organizations  specified  in  the
  application during the period therein specified or such  shorter  period
  as  he  or she shall determine, but not to exceed one year, upon payment
  of a license fee of ten dollars plus an amount based upon the  aggregate
  rent  specified  in  the  license  and determined in accordance with the
  schedule set  forth  therefor  in  article  fourteen-H  of  the  general
  municipal law.

    c.  On  or before the thirtieth day of each month, the commissioner of
  finance shall transmit to the state comptroller a  sum  equal  to  fifty
  percent  of  all  license  fees  collected  by the city pursuant to this
  section during the preceding calendar month.
    d.  No  license  shall  be  issued  under  this subchapter and article
  fourteen-H of the general municipal law which shall be effective  for  a
  period of more than one year.