PROPOSED RULES
Original Notice.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 08-08-001.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: WAC 230-15-210 Entry fees and buy-ins for card tournaments.
Hearing Location(s): Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel/Convention Center, 201 North Wenatchee Avenue, Wenatchee, WA 98801, on August 15, 2008, at 9:30 a.m.
Date of Intended Adoption: August 15, 2008.
Submit Written Comments to: Susan Arland, P.O. Box 42400, Olympia, WA 98504-2400, e-mail Susan2@wsgc.wa.gov, fax (360) 486-3625, by August 1, 2008.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Gail Grate, executive assistant, by August 1, 2008, TTY (360) 486-3637 or (360) 486-3453.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The commission filed a petition for rule change submitted by the Recreational Gaming Association (RGA) requesting that all dollar limits on card tournament entry fees and buy-ins be removed. Instead, licensees would simply be required to state in their rules if they charge a fee.
The RGA states that tribal markets are allowed to charge any level of fees for tournaments. The RGA states that house-banked card room licensees should be allowed to offer games they are authorized at the same levels being offered in the Washington state gaming market.
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: Recreational Gaming Association, private.
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: Mark Harris, Assistant Director, Lacey, (360) 486-3579.
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 because the change would not impose additional costs on businesses.
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.
May 14, 2008
Susan Arland
Rules Coordinator
OTS-1562.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 608, filed 4/10/07,
effective 1/1/08)
WAC 230-15-210
Entry fees and buy-ins for card
tournaments.
(1) Card game licensees must:
(a) ((Not charge more than one hundred dollars per player
for)) Clearly state in the rules if they charge an entry fee;
and
(b) Collect all entry fees before the start of play.
(2) The entry fee must include all the separate fees for various phases and events of the tournament, for food and drink, and for promotional material.
(3) Card game licensees may award prizes in excess of entry fees collected.
(4) Card game licensees may require a minimum buy-in of
chips. The buy-in may be a single or multiple buy-in((, but
the total per player may not exceed four hundred dollars per
tournament)).
(5) Card game licensees must:
(a) Keep a record of the buy-ins for each player in the format we require; and
(b) Return all buy-ins to the players in cash or merchandise prizes.
(6) We do not consider buy-ins gross gambling receipts.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 9.46.070. 07-09-033 (Order 608), § 230-15-210, filed 4/10/07, effective 1/1/08.]