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S.F. No. 634 - Lawful Gambling Games - the First Engrossment
 
Author: Senator Beverly Scalze
 
Prepared By: Stephanie James, Senate Counsel (651/296-0103)
 
Date: March 17, 2015



 

Section 1 [Bar Bingo] modifies definition of “bar bingo” to exclude an area of a permitted premise where intoxicating liquor or 3.2 percent malt beverages are sold off sale, and limits the conduct of bar bingo to premises at which a licensed organization that conducts another form of lawful gambling consents.

Section 2 [Gambling Equipment] modifies the definition of “gambling equipment” to add software and programs that support electronic pull-tabs and electronic bingo games.

Section 3 [Merged Organizations] establishes that a new organization formed by two organizations shall be considered to have been in existence for the most recent three years.

Sections 4, 6, and 7 require a licensee to submit a termination plan to the board when its license is terminated.  This section specifies required content in the plan, and requires the licensee to keep all invoices and certain documents for a specified time.

Section 5 [Sales Required] exempts software and programs used for electronic pull-tabs and electronic bingo games from the requirement that licensed manufacturers sell gambling equipment to a licensed distributor.

Section 8 [Licenses; Summary Suspension] permits the board to summarily suspend an organization’s license if it is more than 45 days late filing a required monthly report

Section 9 [Off-Site Permits] clarifies that a licensed organization may only conduct lawful gambling off its premises if it obtains a permit for each event.  This section expands the application of permitted off-premises lawful gambling by eliminating the restriction that it be in connection with a county fair, the State Fair, a church festival, or a civic celebration.

Section 10 [Exclusions; Exemptions] permits nursing homes, senior citizen housing projects, or senior citizen organizations, to conduct bingo more than two times each week. This section permits guests of members of the organization or residents to play in a bingo game.  This section makes certain prohibitions on two or more organizations that are exempt from licensing sharing or coordinating tickets for a raffle. This section is effective for all permits with an effective date July 1, 2015, or later.

Section 11 [Compensation Paid] permits compensation to an employee of a lessor, that leases premises to an organization, for the conduct of gambling at other sites not owned by the lessor.

Section 12 [Filing of Inventory and Discounts] eliminates the requirement that manufacturers, distributors, and linked bingo game providers file a list of their prices for gambling equipment with the Director of Gambling Control. Requires, instead, that manufacturers, distributors, and linked bingo game providers file a list monthly with the director of all gambling equipment sold in the preceding month. This section requires manufacturers, distributors, and linked bingo game providers to notify the board of discounts available for gambling equipment.

Section 13 [Winners] allows three business days to deliver a bingo prize of $200 or more.

Section 14 [Bar Bingo] modifies the locations where bar bingo can be conducted lawfully.

Section 15 [Linked Bingo Games Played Exclusively on Electronic Bingo Devices] modifies the locations where linked bingo games can be played. Requires each person cashing out an electronic linked bingo device with $600 or more in credits to present certain identification.  Requires the organization to retain the winner’s identification in the form of a prize receipt for 3.5 years. The prize receipt must include the same information as is required in board rules for a paper pull-tab game prize receipt.  The organization is not required to retain information from the player’s identification card, except for the information for the prize receipt.

Section 16 [Electronic Pull-Tab Device Requirements and Restrictions] modifies the permitted premises where electronic pull-tab devices may be used by precluding use where off-sale liquor or 3.2 percent malt beverages are sold. Requires each person cashing out an electronic pull-tab device with $600 or more in credits to present certain identification.  Requires the organization to retain the winner’s identification in the form of a prize receipt for 3.5 years. The prize receipt must include the same information as is required in board rules for a paper pull-tab game prize receipt.  The organization is not required to retain information from the player’s identification card, except for the information for the prize receipt.

Section 17 [Conduct of Raffles] adds an option for putting prizes visibly on display, as an alternative to publicly posting them, at a raffle event.

Section 18 [Organization and Lessor Employees and Volunteers] replaces a prohibition on an employee or volunteer from participating as a player in the conduct of pull-tabs, tipboards, or paddlewheels, with restrictions on such play. 

Section 19 [Accounts] requires gambling receipts from electronic gambling to be deposited in a certain bank account within four business days when total net receipts from all electronic games on the premises reach the sum of $2,000, or on or before the first day of the month immediately following the month in which the receipts were generated, whichever is first.

Section 20 [Reports] requires reporting gambling fund expenditures to the board on a cash basis.

Section 21 [Progressive Bingo Games] permits the prize for a progressive linked bingo game to start at any amount up to $500 and that it can be increased by up to $100 for each game or occasion.

Section 22 [Revisor’s Instruction] directs the revisor of statutes to modify rules of the Gambling Control Board.

Section 23 [Superceding Act] makes void any repeal enacted in the 2015 Session of the legislature of a section that is amended in this bill.

Section 24 [Repealer] repeals a requirement that the Gambling Control Board prepare and distribute a manual on recordkeeping for organizations.

All sections except sections 10, 12, 22, and 23, are effective July 1, 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

 
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