Section 431. Purpose of article

The purpose of this article is to implement
  section  nine  of  article  one of the state constitution, as amended by
  vote of the people at the general election in November, nineteen hundred
  fifty-seven.  The legislature hereby declares that the raising of  funds
  for  the  promotion  of  bona  fide charitable, educational, scientific,
  health, religious, civic and patriotic causes  and  undertakings,  where
  the  beneficiaries  are indefinite, is in the public interest. It hereby
  finds that, as conducted prior to the enactment of this  article,  bingo
  was the subject of exploitation by professional gamblers, promoters, and
  commercial  interests.  It  is  hereby  declared to be the policy of the
  legislature that all  phases  of  the  supervision,  licensing  and  the
  regulation of bingo and of the conduct of bingo games, should be closely
  controlled  and  that the laws and regulations pertaining thereto should
  be strictly construed and rigidly enforced; that the conduct of the game
  and all  attendant  activities  should  be  so  regulated  and  adequate
  controls  so  instituted  as  to discourage commercialization in all its
  forms, including the rental of commercial premises for bingo games,  and
  to   ensure  a  maximum  availability  of  the  net  proceeds  of  bingo
  exclusively for  application  to  the  worthy  causes  and  undertakings
  specified  herein;  that  the  only justification for this article is to
  foster and support such worthy causes and  undertakings,  and  that  the
  mandate  of  section  nine  of article one of the state constitution, as
  amended,  should  be  carried  out  by  rigid  regulation   to   prevent
  commercialized  gambling,  prevent  participation  by criminal and other
  undesirable elements  and  prevent  the  diversion  of  funds  from  the
  purposes herein authorized.