PERMANENT RULES
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: ShuffleMaster's petition requesting an amendment to authorize a carryover pot in card games was approved. Under current rules, a player's win or loss must be determined during a single card game. The petitioner's amendment provides an exception for carryover pots. A carryover pot is an optional pot that accumulates as a dealer and participating players contribute to the pot. The pot is not necessarily determined after one game and can be carried over to more than one game. Carryover pots will not carryover more than ten games. Participants will include at least one player and the dealer competing for the highest winning hand. Game rules will determine how the pot is distributed.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: See above.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 230-15-040.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 9.46.070 and 9.46.0282.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 12-09-044 filed on April 13, 2012.
Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: Based on discussion at the April 2012, commission meeting, staff proposed an amendment to ensure there is a fair method of distribution if the pot is not won after ten games. If the pot is not won after ten games, the dealer will divide it equally between the remaining players still participating in the pot and the house or, if allowed by game rules, only the players still participating in the pot. The petitioner supports the amendment.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: July 13, 2012.
Susan Arland
Rules Coordinator
OTS-4711.3
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Orders 656 and 656-A, filed
8/14/09 and 8/18/09, effective 9/14/09 and 9/18/09)
WAC 230-15-040
Requirements for authorized card games.
(1) In order for a card game to be authorized, ((the card
game)) it must be approved by the director or the director's
designee and must:
(a) Be played with standard playing cards or with electronic card facsimiles approved by the director or the director's designee; and
(b) Offer no more than four separate games with a single hand of cards. However, no more than three of the games may offer a wager that exceeds five dollars each. We consider bonus features and progressive jackpots separate games. If a player does not have to place a separate wager to participate, we do not consider it a separate game. An example of this is an "envy" or "share the wealth" pay out when another player achieves a specific hand; and
(c) Not allow side bets between players.
(2) Card game licensees may use more than one deck of cards for a specific game. They also may remove cards to comply with rules of a specific game, such as Pinochle or Spanish 21.
(3) Players must:
(a) Compete against all other players on an equal basis for nonhouse-banked games or against the house for house-banked games. All players must compete solely as a player in the card game; and
(b) Receive their own hand of cards and be responsible for decisions regarding such hand, such as whether to fold, discard, draw additional cards, or raise the wager; and
(c) Not place wagers on any other player's or the house's hand or make side wagers with other players, except for:
(i) An insurance wager placed in the game of Blackjack; or
(ii) An "envy" or "share the wealth" wager which allows a player to receive a prize if another player wins a jackpot or odds-based wager; or
(iii) A tip wager made on behalf of a dealer.
(4) Mini-Baccarat is authorized when operated in the manner explained for Baccarat in the most current version of The New Complete Hoyle, Revised or Hoyle's Encyclopedia of Card Games, or similar authoritative book on card games we have approved. However:
(a) Card game licensees may make immaterial modifications to the game; and
(b) Subsection (3) of this section does not apply; and
(c) The number of players is limited under WAC 230-15-055.
(5) A player's win or loss must be determined during the course of play of a single card game, except for a carryover pot game. A carryover pot is an optional pot that accumulates as a dealer and participating players contribute to the pot. The winner of the pot is not necessarily determined after one game and the pot can be carried over to more than one game. Carryover pots must not carryover more than ten games. Participants must include at least one player and the dealer competing for the highest qualifying winning hand. Game rules must state how the pot is distributed. If the carryover pot has not been won by the tenth game, the dealer will divide it equally between the remaining players still participating in the pot and the house or, if allowed by game rules, only the players still participating in the pot.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070 and 9.46.0282. 09-17-076 and 09-17-105 (Orders 656 and 656-A), § 230-15-040, filed 8/14/09 and 8/18/09, effective 9/14/09 and 9/18/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070. 08-21-086 (Order 632), § 230-15-040, filed 10/14/08, effective 1/1/09; 07-09-033 (Order 608), § 230-15-040, filed 4/10/07, effective 1/1/08.]