The following words and phrases when used in this act shall have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the meanings given to them in this section:

“Association.” A volunteer fire company or an ambulance, religious, charitable, fraternal, veterans, civic, county fair or agricultural association, or any separately chartered auxiliary of any of the above associations, organized as a nonprofit organization which shall have existed, and conducted business in furtherance of their written constitution, charter, articles of incorporation or bylaw express purpose, for two years prior to application for a license: Provided, however, That an association whose membership consists exclusively of elderly residents of a senior citizen housing project may apply for a license immediately upon its being organized as such and need not meet the two-year waiting requirement: and Provided, further, That the two-year waiting requirement shall not apply to a bona fide consolidated volunteer fire company if at least one of the fire companies included in the merger or consolidation establishing the consolidated entity holds a valid and current bingo license. A consolidated entity may apply for a bingo license immediately upon it being determined and verified to be a bona fide consolidated volunteer fire company. This term shall not be interpreted to include political organizations as associations eligible for a bingo license. An association shall not be denied a bingo license because its name denotes affiliation with a political organization if in fact the association is not a political organization as evidenced by its written constitution, charter, articles of incorporation or bylaw express purpose.

“Bingo.” A game in which each player has a card or board containing five horizontal rows all but the central one containing five figures. The central row has four figures with the word “free” marked in the center thereof. Any preannounced combination of spaces when completed by a player constitutes bingo. In the absence of a preannouncement of a combination of spaces, any combination of five in a row whether horizontal or vertical when completed by a player constitutes bingo when its numbers are announced and covered. A wheel or other mechanical device may be used by any person conducting the game of bingo, and any such person may award a prize to any player or players first completing any combination constituting bingo. The term shall also include predraw bingo.

“Bona fide member.” Any individual who holds a full membership in the association as defined by the association's constitution, charter, articles of incorporation or bylaws. The term shall also include those individuals who are members of an auxiliary or recognized junior affiliate of the parent association.

“Charitable purpose.” Benevolent or philanthropic purpose.

“Civic purpose.” Community purpose.

“Consolidated entity.” A bona fide consolidated volunteer fire company.

“Consolidated volunteer fire company” or “bona fide consolidated volunteer fire company.” Two or more volunteer fire companies that merge or consolidate their use of facilities, equipment, firefighters and services to provide fire protection or rescue services and that may offer other voluntary emergency services within this Commonwealth. Voluntary emergency services provided by a consolidated volunteer fire company may include voluntary ambulance and voluntary rescue services.

“Elderly residents of a senior citizen housing project.” Persons aged 62 years or older who reside in an elderly housing project receiving rental assistance pursuant to the Federal Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.

“Equipment.” Tables, chairs, cards, microphones, amplifiers, speakers and all other machinery and articles used to conduct a game of bingo.

“Law enforcement official.” A municipal police officer, a member of the Pennsylvania State Police, the sheriff of a county or a deputy sheriff.

“Licensing authority.” The county treasurer, or in any home rule county or city of the first class, where there is no elected treasurer, the designee of the governing authority.

“Predraw bingo.” A game of bingo in which 24 or more numbers are randomly generated prior to the beginning of a game in the presence of at least five players. The random numbers shall be generated through the use of balls or other objects separate from those to be used once a game begins or through use of a wheel or other mechanical device. Players may purchase concealed face cards to play the game after the random numbers are generated and called. Any card on which all numbers on the card are covered solely by the random numbers called or by the random numbers and the subsequent numbers called once the game begins shall constitute bingo.