PROPOSED RULES
Original Notice.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 05-17-205.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: WAC 230-40-010 Social card games -- Rules of play -- Types of card games authorized.
Hearing Location(s): DoubleTree Guest Suites, 16500 Southcenter Parkway, Seattle, WA 98188, (509) [(360)] 248-8220, on January 13, 2006, at 9:30 a.m.
Date of Intended Adoption: January 13, 2006.
Submit Written Comments to: Susan Arland, Rules Coordinator, P.O. Box 42400, Olympia, WA 98504, e-mail Susana@wsgc.wa.gov, fax (360) 486-3625, by January 2, 2006.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Shirley Corbett by January 2, 2006, TTY (360) 486-3637 or (360) 486-3447.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: This rule authorizes certain types of card games and rules of play. Currently, players are required to receive cards and base their decision to fold, discard, draw additional cards, or raise the wager on the cards in their hand.
Dolores Chiechi, on behalf of the Recreational Gaming Association, has submitted a petition for rule change to amend rules of play so players would no longer be required to receive their own hand of cards. Instead players would be responsible for their own decisions regarding the game, rather than their own hand. It also removes the prohibition of players from betting on the house's or other player's hand. A player would still be prohibited from betting on another player's position.
This would allow additional types of card games, such as mini-baccarat, craps style games (played with cards) and other games in the house-banked card rooms.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 9.46.070.
Statute Being Implemented: Not applicable.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Name of Proponent: Washington State Gambling Commission, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Susan Arland, Rules Coordinator, Lacey, (360) 486-3466; Implementation: Rick Day, Director, Lacey, (360) 486-3446; and Enforcement: Neal Nunamaker, Deputy Director, Lacey, (360) 486-3452.
No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. A small business economic impact statement has not been prepared pursuant to RCW 19.85.025, and/or the proposed rule does not impose more than minor, if any, costs to businesses and no disproportionate impact to small businesses has been identified.
A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. The Washington State Gambling Commission is not an agency that is statutorily required to prepare a cost-benefit analysis under RCW 34.05.328.
October 12, 2005
Susan Arland
Rules Coordinator
OTS-8327.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 424, filed 9/18/03,
effective 1/1/04)
WAC 230-40-010
Social card games -- Rules of play -- Types
of card games authorized.
Social card games shall be played
using rules and procedures as set forth in this section. Only
card games that have been specifically authorized are allowed
to be played in public or social card rooms.
Rules of play for all card games.
(1) Social card games shall be played in the following
manner:
(a) The game must be played with one or more standard decks of playing cards or with approved electronic card facsimiles which meet the requirements of WAC 230-40-070 (1)(c): Provided, That cards may be removed to comply with rules of a specific game, such as pinochle;
(b) Players shall compete against all other players on an equal basis for nonhouse-banked games or against the licensee for house-banked games;
(c) Each player shall ((receive their own hand of cards
and)) be responsible for their own decisions regarding ((such
hand, such as whether to fold, discard, draw additional cards,
or raise the wager)) the game;
(d) Players shall not place wagers on any other player's or the house's hand and no side bets between players are allowed: Provided, That the following shall not be in violation of this section:
(i) An insurance bet placed in the game of blackjack;
(ii) A tip wager made on behalf of a dealer; or
(iii) "Envy" provisions which allow a player to receive a prize if another player wins a jackpot or odds wager;
(e) A player's win or loss shall be determined during the course of play of a single card game; and
(f) No more than two separate games shall be played with a single hand of cards. For purposes of this section, bonus features and progressive jackpots are considered a game: Provided, That bonus features that allow a player to receive an additional prize if another player achieves a specific hand, such as "envy" or "share the wealth" features, shall not be considered a separate game if the player does not have to place a separate wager to participate.
Nonhouse-banked card games authorized.
(2) Nonhouse-banked card games shall only be played in
the manner set forth in The New Complete Hoyle, Revised,
Hoyle's Modern Encyclopedia of Card Games, or a similar
authoritative book on card games approved by the director:
Provided, That each licensee may make immaterial modifications
to each authorized game set out in Hoyle. The following
nonhouse-banked card games are authorized:
(a) Poker;
(b) Hearts;
(c) Pinochle;
(d) Cribbage;
(e) Rummy;
(f) Panguingue (Pan);
(g) Pitch;
(h) Bid Whist;
(i) Other games or modifications to approved games may be approved by the director, or the director's designee, on a case-by-case basis. Requests for approval of a game must be submitted in writing, and include the rules of play and all wagering schemes.
House-banked card games authorized.
(3) House-banked card games shall be approved by the
director, or the director's designee, on a case-by-case basis.
Request for approval of a house-banked card game must be
submitted in writing, including the rules of play and all
wagering schemes. A list of all approved games, modifications
to games, and rules of play shall be available at all
commission offices. The director may approve games in which
the determination of whether a player wins or loses depends
upon one or more of the following:
(a) The player's hand is a specific:
(i) Pattern or ranking of cards (pair, straight, flush, royal flush, etc.);
(ii) Combination of cards (two queens of hearts, ace and jack of spades, three sevens, etc.); or
(iii) Value of the cards (seventeen, twenty-one, etc.); and/or
(b) The player has a higher or lower ranking or value hand than the house/dealer/banker.
Removing an approved game from play.
(4) Once a game is approved for play, the director shall
not remove it from the authorized list of games without
providing licensees written notice. Licensees shall be
afforded an opportunity to object to the director's decision. If an objection is filed, an administrative law judge shall
review the director's decision utilizing the brief
adjudicative procedures set forth in WAC 230-50-010.
Procedures for when a proposed game is denied.
(5) The licensee shall be notified in writing when the
director denies a request for a new game or modification of a
game. The notification shall include reasons for the denial
and provide the petitioner all information necessary for a
formal petition to the commission for rule making, amendments,
or repeal, as set forth in WAC 230-50-800.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070. 03-20-009 (Order 424), § 230-40-010, filed 9/18/03, effective 1/1/04; 01-15-054 (Order 405), § 230-40-010, filed 7/13/01, effective 1/1/02; 00-09-052 (Order 383), § 230-40-010, filed 4/14/00, effective 5/15/00; 99-13-103 (Order 373), § 230-40-010, filed 6/15/99, effective 8/1/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.0281, 9.46.070 (1), (2), (14) and (20). 96-11-073, § 230-40-010, filed 5/13/96, effective 7/1/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070. 94-13-098 (Order 252), § 230-40-010, 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), § 230-40-010, filed 2/14/90, effective 3/17/90. Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070. 88-19-038 (Order 183), § 230-40-010, filed 9/13/88. Statutory Authority: Chapter 9.46 RCW. 86-19-056 (Order 161), § 230-40-010, filed 9/15/86. Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070(11). 82-23-050 (Order 125), § 230-40-010, filed 11/15/82. Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070(10) (see RCW 9.46.020(20)). 80-09-067 (Order 103), § 230-40-010, filed 7/17/80; Order 78, § 230-40-010, filed 11/17/77; Order 67, § 230-40-010, filed 3/11/77; Order 40, § 230-40-010, filed 6/26/75; Order 23, § 230-40-010, filed 9/23/74.]