S-0189

AN ACT Relating to bookmaking; amending RCW 9.46.0213, 9.46.0265, 9.46.160, 9.46.170, 9.46.180, 9.46.185, 9.46.190, 9.46.196, 9.46.240, and 9.46.220; adding new sections to chapter 9.46 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 9.46.0213 and 1987 c 4 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

"Bookmaking," as used in this chapter, means accepting bets ((~~as a business, rather than in a casual or personal fashion~~)), upon the outcome of future contingent events, as a business or in which the bettor is charged a fee or "vigorish" for the opportunity to place a bet.

Sec. 2. RCW 9.46.0265 and 1987 c 4 s 17 are each amended to read as follows:

"Player," as used in this chapter, means a natural person who engages, on equal terms with the other participants, and solely as a contestant or bettor, in any form of gambling in which no person may receive or become entitled to receive any profit therefrom other than personal gambling winnings, and without otherwise rendering any material assistance to the establishment, conduct or operation of a particular gambling activity. A natural person who gambles at a social game of chance on equal terms with the other participants ((~~therein does not otherwise render~~)) shall not be considered as rendering material assistance to the establishment, conduct or operation ((~~thereof~~)) of the social game merely by performing, without fee or remuneration, acts directed toward the arrangement or facilitation of the game, such as inviting persons to play, permitting the use of premises ((~~therefor, and~~)) for the game, or supplying cards or other equipment to be used ((~~therein~~)) in the games. A person who engages in "bookmaking" as defined in this chapter is not a "player." A person who pays a fee or "vigorish" enabling him or her to place a wager with a bookmaker, or pays a fee to participate in a card game, contest of chance, lottery, or gambling activity, is not a player.

Sec. 3. RCW 9.46.160 and 1975 1st ex.s. c 166 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

Any person who conducts any activity for which a license is required by this chapter, or by rule of the commission, without the required license issued by the commission shall be guilty of a ((~~felony and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than five years or by a fine of not more than one hundred thousand dollars, or both~~)) class B felony. If any corporation conducts any activity for which a license is required by this chapter, or by rule of the commission, without the required license issued by the commission, it may be punished by forfeiture of its corporate charter, in addition to the other penalties set forth in this section.

Sec. 4. RCW 9.46.170 and 1973 1st ex.s. c 218 s 17 are each amended to read as follows:

Whoever, in any application for a license or in any book or record required to be maintained by the commission or in any report required to be submitted to the commission, shall make any false or misleading statement, or make any false or misleading entry or wilfully fail to maintain or make any entry required to be maintained or made, or who wilfully refuses to produce for inspection by the commission, or its designee, any book, record, or document required to be maintained or made by federal or state law, shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor ((~~and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars, or both~~)) subject to the penalty set forth in RCW 9A.20.021.

Sec. 5. RCW 9.46.180 and 1977 ex.s. c 326 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

Any person who knowingly causes, aids, abets, or conspires with another to cause any person to violate any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a class B felony ((~~and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than five years or a fine of not more than one hundred thousand dollars, or both~~)) subject to the penalty in RCW 9A.20.021.

Sec. 6. RCW 9.46.185 and 1977 ex.s. c 326 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

Any person who knowingly causes, aids, abets, or conspires with another to cause any person to violate any rule or regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor ((~~and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars, or both~~)) subject to the penalty set forth in RCW 9A.20.021.

Sec. 7. RCW 9.46.190 and 1977 ex.s. c 326 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:

Any person or association or organization operating any gambling activity who or which, directly or indirectly, shall in the course of such operation:

(1) Employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud; or

(2) Make any untrue statement of a material fact, or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statement made not misleading, in the light of the circumstances under which said statement is made; or

(3) Engage in any act, practice or course of operation as would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any person;

Shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor ((~~and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars, or both~~)) subject to the penalty set forth in RCW 9A.20.021.

Sec. 8. RCW 9.46.196 and 1977 ex.s. c 326 s 13 are each amended to read as follows:

No person participating in a gambling activity shall in the course of such participation, directly or indirectly:

(1) Employ or attempt to employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud any other participant or any operator;

(2) Engage in any act, practice, or course of operation as would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any other participant or any operator;

(3) Engage in any act, practice, or course of operation while participating in a gambling activity with the intent of cheating any other participant or the operator to gain an advantage in the game over the other participant or operator; or

(4) Cause, aid, abet, or conspire with another person to cause any other person to violate subsections (1) through (3) of this section.

Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor ((~~and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars, or both~~)) subject to the penalty set forth in RCW 9A.20.021.

Sec. 9. RCW 9.46.240 and 1987 c 4 s 44 are each amended to read as follows:

Whoever knowingly transmits or receives gambling information by telephone, telegraph, radio, semaphore or similar means, or knowingly installs or maintains equipment for the transmission or receipt of gambling information shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor subject to the penalty set forth in RCW 9A.20.021: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That this section shall not apply to such information transmitted or received or equipment installed or maintained relating to activities authorized by this chapter or to any act or acts in furtherance thereof when conducted in compliance with the provisions of this chapter and in accordance with the rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

Sec. 10. RCW 9.46.220 and 1987 c 4 s 42 are each amended to read as follows:

((Whoever engages in professional gambling, or knowingly causes, aids, abets, or conspires with another to engage in professional gambling, shall be guilty of a felony and fined not more than one hundred thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years or both: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That this section shall not apply to those activities authorized by this chapter or to any act or acts in furtherance thereof when conducted in compliance with the provisions of this chapter and in accordance with the rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto.))

(1) A person is guilty of professional gambling in the first degree if he or she engages in, or knowingly causes, aids, abets, or conspires with another to engage in professional gambling as defined in this chapter, and:

(a) While engaging in professional gambling acts in concert with or conspires with five or more people;

(b) Accepts wagers exceeding five thousand dollars during any calendar month on future contingent events; or

(c) Operates, manages, or profits from the operation of a premises or location where persons are charged a fee to participate in card games, lotteries, or other gambling activities that are not authorized by this chapter or licensed by the commission.

(2) However, this section shall not apply to those activities enumerated in RCW 9.46.0305 through 9.46.0361 or to any act or acts in furtherance of such activities when conducted in compliance with the provisions of this chapter and in accordance with the rules adopted pursuant to this chapter.

(3) Professional gambling in the first degree is a class B felony subject to the penalty set forth in RCW 9A.20.021.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. A new section is added to chapter 9.46 RCW to read as follows:

(1) A person is guilty of professional gambling in the second degree if he or she engages in or knowingly causes, aids, abets, or conspires with another to engage in professional gambling as defined in this chapter, and:

(a) While engaging in professional gambling acts in concert with or conspires with less than five people;

(b) Accepts wagers exceeding two thousand dollars during any calendar month on future contingent events;

(d) Maintains gambling records as defined in RCW 9.46.020.

(3) Professional gambling in the second degree is a class C felony subject to the penalty set forth in RCW 9A.20.021.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. A new section is added to chapter 9.46 RCW to read as follows:

(1) A person is guilty of professional gambling in the third degree if he or she engages in, or knowingly causes, aids, abets, or conspires with another to engage in professional gambling as defined in this chapter; and

(a) His or her conduct does not constitute first or second degree professional gambling;

(b) Operates any of the unlicensed gambling activities authorized by this chapter in a manner other than as prescribed by this chapter; or

(2) This section shall not apply to those activities enumerated in RCW 9.46.0305 through 9.46.0361 or to any acts in furtherance of such activities when conducted in compliance with the provisions of this chapter and the rules adopted pursuant to this chapter.

(3) Professional gambling in the third degree is a gross misdemeanor subject to the penalty established in RCW 9A.20.021.