PROPOSED RULES
Continuance of WSR 03-17-102.
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.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 9.46.070.
Statute Being Implemented: Not applicable.
Summary: At the August 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 requested that betting limits for house-banked card rooms be increased from $100 to $300. At the October 2003 commission meeting, Commissioner Orr proposed an amendment that would raise the betting limit to $200 rather than $300, and have it be based on the number of tables authorized in a card room: Five or fewer tables would have one table at the higher limit; six to ten tables, would have two tables at the higher limit; eleven to fifteen tables would have three tables at the higher limit. The proposal would also have the increased betting limits run only through 2004, and sunset (end) after that. In order for it to continue, another rule proposal would have to be made.
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: Red Lion Hotel - Olympia, 2300 Evergreen Park Drive, Olympia, WA 98502, (360) 943-4000, on March 11, 2004, at 9:30 a.m.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Shirley Corbett by March 1, 2004, 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 March 1, 2004.
Date of Intended Adoption: March 11, 2004.
January 27, 2004
Susan Arland
Rules Coordinator
OTS-6746.1
Alternative #1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 422, filed 8/15/03,
effective 9/15/03)
WAC 230-40-120
Limits on wagers in card games.
Social
and public card room licensees shall not allow wagering limits
set by the commission to be exceeded in any card game. The
number and value of wagers in card games are limited as
follows:
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 one hundred
dollars, except that during the period from January 1, 2004,
through December 31, 2004, such licensees may allow a single
wager of up to two hundred dollars on a limited number of
tables as follows:
(a) Licensees authorized to operate five tables or fewer may operate one table at the two hundred dollar limit;
(b) Licensees authorized to operate from six to ten tables may operate two tables at the two hundred dollar limit; and
(c) Licensees authorized to operate more than ten tables may operate three tables at the two hundred dollar limit;
(6) 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
(7) 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 subsection (5) of this section.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070. 03-17-044 (Order 422), § 230-40-120, filed 8/15/03, effective 9/15/03; 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.]