Original Notice.

     Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 03-16-034.

     Title of Rule: Increasing betting limits for house-banked card rooms, WAC 230-40-120 Limits on wagers in card games.

     Purpose: To increase betting limits for house-banked card rooms from $100 to $300.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 9.46.070.

     Summary: At the August 15, 2003, commission meeting, the commissioners filed a petition for rule change submitted by the Recreational Gaming Association (RGA). The RGA represents numerous card rooms. The petitioner requests that betting limits for house-banked card rooms be increased from $100 to $300.

     Reasons Supporting Proposal: See Purpose above.

     Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Susan Arland, Lacey, (360) 486-3466; Implementation: Rick Day, Lacey, (360) 486-3446; and Enforcement: Bob Berg, Lacey, (360) 486-3452.

     Name of Proponent: Staff, governmental.

     Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.

     Explanation of Rule, its Purpose, and Anticipated Effects: See Purpose and Summary above.

     Proposal Changes the Following Existing Rules: See Purpose and Summary above.

     No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. Proposal is exempt under RCW 19.85.025(2), therefore, a small business economic impact statement is not required.

     RCW 34.05.328 does not apply to this rule adoption. This agency does not choose to make section 201, chapter 403, Laws of 1995, apply to this rule adoption.

     Hearing Location: Double Tree Hotel, Spokane City Center, 322 North Spokane Falls Court, Spokane, WA 99201, (509) 744-2310, on October 10, 2003, at 9:30 a.m.

     Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Shirley Corbett by October 1, 2003, TDD (360) 486-3637 or (360) 486-3447.

     Submit Written Comments to: Susan Arland, Rules Coordinator, P.O. Box 42400, Olympia, WA 98504-2400, (360) 486-3466, fax (360) 486-3625, by October 1, 2003.

     Date of Intended Adoption: October 10, 2003.

August 20, 2003

Susan Arland

Rules Coordinator

Nonhouse-banked card games.

     (1) Poker:

     (a) There shall be no more than five betting rounds in any one game;

     (b) The maximum number of wagers in any betting round shall be four, comprised of an initial wager plus three raises; and

     (c) The maximum amount of a single wager shall not exceed twenty-five dollars.

     (2) Games based on achieving a specific number of points - each point shall not exceed five cents in value.

     (3) An ante, except for panguingue (pan), shall not be more than the maximum wager allowed for the first betting round for any game. The ante may, by house rule, be made by one or more players, but the total ante may not exceed the maximum wager allowed for the first betting round. An ante, by house rule, may be used as part of a player's wager.

     (4) Panguingue (pan) - the maximum value of a chip for a payoff shall not exceed ten dollars. An ante will not exceed one chip. Doubling of conditions is prohibited. Players going out may collect not more than two chips from each participating player.

House-banked card games.

     (5) Licensees authorized to conduct house-banked card games shall not allow a single wager to exceed twenty-five dollars;

     (6) Licensees authorized to conduct Phase II house-banked card games shall not allow a single wager to exceed ((one)) three hundred dollars;

     (7) A single wager may be made on each separate element of chance. In addition, for blackjack, an additional wager may be placed for doubling down or splitting pairs; and

     (8) Bonus wagers for house-banked progressive jackpots shall not exceed one dollar. Bonus wagers with a predetermined prize amount based upon a separate element of chance within the same game shall not exceed the authorized maximum table limits as described in subsections (5) and (6) of this section.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070. 01-13-091 (Order 403), § 230-40-120, filed 6/19/01, effective 7/20/01; 00-09-052 (Order 383), § 230-40-120, filed 4/14/00, effective 5/15/00; 94-13-098 (Order 252), § 230-40-120, filed 6/15/94, effective 7/16/94. Statutory Authority: RCW 34.05.220(4), [34.05].230 and 9.46.070 (11) and (14). 90-05-032 (Order 205), § 230-40-120, filed 2/14/90, effective 3/17/90. Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070 (8), (11) and (14). 89-15-039 (Order 194), § 230-40-120, filed 7/18/89, effective 8/18/89. Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.050(3) and 9.46.070 (1), (2) and (11). 86-15-025 (Order 159), § 230-40-120, filed 7/14/86. Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070 (1), (2) and (11) and 9.46.110. 85-21-046 (Order 154), § 230-40-120, filed 10/14/85. Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.020 (20)(d) and 9.46.070(11). 82-23-050 (Order 125) and 83-01-045 (Order 125A), § 230-40-120, filed 11/15/82 and 12/13/82. Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070(11). 82-04-010 (Order 118), § 230-40-120, filed 1/22/82; 81-19-073 (Order 112), § 230-40-120, filed 9/15/81. Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070(10). 80-03-059 (Order 98), § 230-40-120, filed 2/25/80; Order 80, § 230-40-120, filed 12/28/77; Order 51, § 230-40-120, filed 4/30/76; Order 48, § 230-40-120, filed 3/23/76; Order 23, § 230-40-120, filed 9/23/74.]

     Reviser's note: The bracketed material preceding the section above was supplied by the code reviser's office.

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