Pull tabs are a familiar sight in North Dakota, where charitable gaming has been legal for decades. The state allows licensed nonprofit groups to raise money by selling pull tabs and running other games of chance. Both traditional paper pull tabs and newer electronic pull-tab devices are permitted under state law. Everything is overseen by the North Dakota Attorney General's Gaming Division.
Who Can Run Pull Tabs
Only bona fide nonprofit organizations can conduct pull tabs in North Dakota, and each one must first obtain a state charitable gaming license from the Attorney General's Gaming Division. This typically includes civic groups, veterans and fraternal organizations such as VFW and American Legion posts, and other qualifying charities.
The Gaming Division, which works alongside a state gaming commission, sets the rules for how games are run, how proceeds are tracked, and how the charitable share is protected. The framework is set out in North Dakota Century Code Chapter 53-06.1, which governs games of chance.
How They Work and Where You Find Them
A pull tab is an instant-win ticket. You buy it, pull open the perforated tabs, and check whether the symbols inside match a winning combination printed on the ticket. Charities sell them from booths or dispensers, and winners are paid on the spot.
In North Dakota you will most often come across pull tabs at licensed sites that serve the public, since charitable operators partner with local venues to host the games. Electronic pull tabs are played on tablet-style devices in a designated area, and organizations may install no more than ten of these devices at a single site.
Notable Rules
The minimum age to play pull tabs, including electronic pull tabs, is 21. Electronic pull-tab devices must sit in a designated area that only patrons 21 and older may enter, and they can only be played during the hours when alcoholic beverages may legally be served.
State law also caps game economics. For pull tabs, the price per ticket and the top prize are limited by statute and administrative rule, and a share of proceeds must go to the charitable purpose. Rules on charitable gaming in North Dakota continue to be reviewed and updated by the Legislature and the Gaming Division.
Where can I play pull tabs in North Dakota?
Pull tabs in North Dakota are typically found at licensed bars and restaurants, VFW and American Legion posts, and fraternal or civic clubs that host charitable gaming.
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