girltankette

Tankers, it is with a heavy heart and great disappointment that we have to announce that we will be suspending our RC Tank raffles. We can not see our way clear on this without putting the museum at risk. It is a long and bloody story that starts with the rules and regulations governing online raffles or online gaming. As a non-profit we can hold raffles in the Commonwealth of Virginia without too many regulations interfering with the raffle, but online is another story all together. I have found out that not only do you need to be a non-profit of some type ( fire dept, civic organization, museum, etc.) but you have to be certified in the state that your website is housed - in our case - Texas. Unfortunately you can not be incorporated in one State and certified in another without having some type of entity there. Plus you have to be certified in every state in the US, which is just an impossible task when you have to adhere by the rules and regulations set down for raffles in every state. One state only allows tickets to be sold for $10 or less, another state only allows one raffle per organization a year, one state allows you to conduct raffles until you make a certain amount and that is only if you are granted the permit in each state, and then you have to comply with all the yearly filing regulations for each state. I think you are all getting the idea! There are also many different regulations like the Wire act of 1961, Travel Act of 1961, Interstate transportation of wagering paraphernalia Act of 1961, Illegal gambling business act of 1970, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act of 1970, Interstate Wagering Amendment of 1994, Illegal Money transmitting Business Act of 1992 just to name a few of the Federal rules and regulations, and we would probably need a very good lawyer to see which ones apply and which do not, plus they are being changed or amendments are being done to these acts on an ongoing bases. They are all an interesting read if you so chose to read them.

Unfortunately the times we live in and the regulations set down during this time will make it impossible to continue to bring these raffles to you. They were started with the best intentions and helped get many tankers a Tamiya tank that they may not have been able to afford otherwise and it also helped this museum in our efforts to preserve the memories of the Tank and Cavalry branches of the service.

Before closing I would like to thank all those that have supported previous drawings and to also thank RC Universe for allowing us to post the raffles on their forum. The museum will continue to bring the best prices that we can for your Radio Control Tanks and Tank parts needs and the best customer service that you have come to expect from us.

Tanks a lot

Karen/Girltankette

Panther F

Well, that does BLOW! Big time.

Oh well, a little fun for some but let's ruin it from the law makers.

I'm sure there is a way around this. Have a "tanker" host it while you sponsor it?

JAT










~ Jeff

karel47

sad news karen, but you did your best we can always buy your tanks instead of tickets

girltankette

Unfortunately Panther F that does not change the situation - The "tanker" would have to also conform to all the rules and regs. I have even looked ino online raffle and gaming site - Their % of the take would not warrant having one.
Even looked into selling a magnetic ( using this as an example) for the price of the ticket and then your name gets put in the hat,unfortunately thisalso falls under online gaming.
I will continue to look at ways that this can be done legally, but from what I have read so far it is a long shot.

Karen

DaveBcool

Having just won one, and squeaked through the raffle door so to speak, this is truly a bummer.

What about just holding raffles during events?
So, all the participants have to be present.
Is this too obvious to be possible?

Dana Lowell

Lots of conventions have "door prizes". Is that different?

girltankette

Hi Dave,

There is not problem holding raffles at our physical location Virginia rules are very good concerning in state raffles, it is when you use any type of communications devices like phone, internet that it gets into the online gaming rules and regulations of each state and federal.

It is possible to have one during our events, but can we sell 50 tickets @ $20 a ticket or not is the question. Do we up the price of a ticket and sell less? This needs to be looked into to see if it would work on this limited bases.

Karen

girltankette

Dana - holding a raffle in Virginia is not a problem where the problem lies is the communications of a raffle that is being held on the internet. Even if we send a notice out over the forum and have everyone send in a check it is still considered online gambling as youare using a federal communications devices to sell the tickets. Yes, I know the internet is not regulated as of yet, it will be,and from what I have readit is in question and canstill get you into court and spending lots of moneyfor possibily not doingwrong, but the money is still spent. I have spend a good part of several daysand last night going over all the rules and regs. I have been grilled by the other staff members of the musuem that have come up with ideas that may have worked, but to no avail.

Karen

sollie

we can only salute you for the work you have put into this matter . To bad for us who want's to buy tickets, and for you at the museum. [&o]

I can only say +1 one to panther f 's first line.

Pah co chu puk

It sounds like a happy ending to a fun era, you guys avoided trouble and some folks got a $20.00 Tamiya tank.

I'm sorry now that I missed that final raffle frenzy. Oh well.

Panther F

I wouldn't call it the end and I still think there is a way around this. I just wonder if phone in "pledges" and during the weekend of events would pacify those non-contents. There must be someone out there a bit smarter than us that will figure it out. I know I'll keep looking into it.

It's not so much for me but I just love the interest and momentum that this carries for our hobby. It'll get those in the door that otherwise couldn't and those that can afford 4 or 5 tickets, and pretty inexpensive 10th tank!










~ Jeff

YHR

Yes I kind of thought you would come to this conclusion. Raffles, lotteries etc all have some pretty stiff rules to apply. This was low key enough that you would probably get away with it, but all it would take would be one person to phone the state regulator and question the validity of the draw or the tickets sold, and you would be in hot water. Of course once you take the time to find out what the regulations are then you are pretty much committed to followng them by the letter or knowingly break a federal law. I understand the museums take on this completely. It was fun while it lasted.

Thanks AAF.

Panther F

Yeah, lets come down on something that causes no harm but I heard last week a gal won over a million dollars in the lottery and is still on welfare. Worse yet, she ran out of money (the million) and continued to use it because she had no money to buy food because she had 2 mortgages to pay for.

Now where are the "law makers" for this? That's what burns me.










~ Jeff

Merganser

Thanks for all you do for RC Tankers.  I was holding an order just so I could get in to the next raffle.  I didn't win a tank, but I have won with your quality service and great prices.  I have your confromation e-mails and should have my parts by next week.  Have started saving for my next tank - or maybe - a trip to the Tank Museum.  Wow, just looked at the globe and Wyoming is futher from Danville then Berlin is from Moscow.  Someday I will be out for a visit if gas prices come down or my ship comes in. 
John from the not so frozen steppes of Wyoming (over 60 degrees today)

girltankette

Panther F - there seems to be no rythm or reason for any of this - States can run a lottery where supposedly the money goes to the schools, but the states steal it every chance they get for pet projects, while our kids do not get the education that is needed.
The gay that won the millions did so approx 2 years ago - I am surprised that she is not getting more than food stamps!
Burns me also!

Karen

girltankette

John thanks for the kind words - Look forward to your possible visit - you will have an awesome time.
Karen

sevoblast

Karen, let me think on this. After all, what are they going to do, sue me in Krimea? Lots of luck with the friends I have here!

Airbrushler

this sucks i was hoping one day to win one but now looks like i will never beable to get anymore chances now

karel47

my kampfgruppe is ready to get the persuers ... let they come

thanks karen you have done marvelous work, maybe you find a way or may not it was fun ... that's all what counts ... its not worth to set the museum at stake

i hope i'll ever can visit the musea one day would like to see all that great stuff into their

again don't bother you guy's and girls of the AAF doing great stuff

Am living almost near a King tiger in La Gleize its said to see that warartifact going down ... here in belgium all the tanks are in very bad shape ... no money for it ... no interest from our gouverment

56-jeephead

My Feedback: (11)

That is most unfortunate. I am glad to have at least helped the museum by purchasing tickets in the past. Hey if on-line raffle is a no-go, what about announcing a raffle and then have us mail in a money order to the museum. Have a cut off date and first come first serve. If you get 55 replys by the cutoff the 5 people at random that don't make the cut could opt to have check returned or put in for the new go-around.
It would not bother me to have you hold my ticket for the next raffle if I could not get in on time. That way the forums or email would announce the date and the checks we send could be considered a donation or to purchase that cool new AAF sticker we all buy that happens to have a number on the back. You run a number generator and announce it in the forums and then that person would call to claim their prize. HMMM.... Unless the Nay-Sayers have already covered that in some blanket law. Hopefully there is some kind of work around. Thanks guys for past chances.

sollie

Sidetrack:
Wow, so nobody cares about the KT there, to bad. Next time you are there, take some pictures, many of them on the web, but do it any way :-)

girltankette

Jeephead -Unfortunately it has already been covered - if you announce on the internet even in a forum or email then interstate laws apply and so do federal.

Karel - seems like all gov'ts want to let these amazing pieces of equipment rot away and give those that are trying to preserve them morerules and regs then neccessary. I could tell you stories of what this museumhas gone thru in the last31 dealing with the govt.But we almost never run that gray line as that is what usually gets you in trouble. I wish I had investigated this before I evenstarted the raffle as I should have known.

Thanksall - we will missputting on the raffles.
Karen

Airbrushler

probably ways around it i mean they have stuff on cereal boxes all the time for contests or sweepstakes, could have the "do you know your tanks contest " of course i still would not win....lol, but many others would still have that chance,
if not having anything is the way it must be then that's it, i would rather you not cause trouble for yourself
i to have bought tickets and had fun doing so and apperciate everything the museum andGirltankette has done to give us a chance to own one of these Tamiyas

karel47

ok boss

56-jeephead

My Feedback: (11)

OK so who won the last raffle just before Big Brother stepped in and squashed our fun?