Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2008.

     Purpose: This new rule requires house-banked card room licensees to maintain a minimum amount of cash in their cage before opening for the business day. The new rule requires house-banked card room licensees to have the following amount of cash in their cage before opening the card room:

     a. $1,000 for each table licensed to operate; plus

     b. The amount of the largest prize available, but not more than $20,000.

     For example: A house-banked card room licensee that is licensed for fifteen tables and its largest single prize is $23,000 is required to have at least $35,000 in their cage before opening for the business day (15 x $1,000 = $15,000 + $20,000 = $35,000).

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 9.46.070.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 07-19-072 on September 17, 2007, and published October 3, 2007.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: November 20, 2007.

Susan Arland

Rules Coordinator

OTS-1020.1

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 608, filed 4/10/07, effective 1/1/08)

WAC 230-15-050   Minimum cash on hand requirements.   (1) Card game licensees must have sufficient cash on hand to redeem all chips issued for play and pay out all prizes.

     (2) Before opening for the business day, house-banked card game licensees must have at least the following minimum amount of cash in their cage:

     (a) One thousand dollars for each house-banked table on the gambling floor; plus

     (b) The amount of the largest single prize available or not more than twenty thousand dollars.

     For example: If a house-banked card room has fifteen house-banked tables and a largest single prize of twenty-three thousand dollars, before opening, the cage must have at least thirty-five thousand dollars on hand: 15 tables x $1,000 = $15,000 + largest single prize or $20,000 = $35,000).

     (3) Except for the restrictions on player-supported jackpot pay outs in WAC 230-15-405 and progressive jackpot pay outs in WAC 230-15-690, licensees may pay prizes by check if sufficient funds are available on deposit.

     (((3))) (4) Failure to keep funds to cash in chips, pay prizes, or redeem gambling related checks is prima facie evidence of fraud. Meeting the minimum cage cash amount does not relieve the licensee from the requirement to have sufficient funds available to redeem all chips and pay out all prizes.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070. 07-09-033 (Order 608), § 230-15-050, filed 4/10/07, effective 1/1/08.]

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