S-3615

AN ACT Relating to gambling; and amending RCW 9.46.0281, 9.46.0351, 9.46.070, 9.46.110, and 9.46.198.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 9.46.0281 and 1987 c 4 s 21 are each amended to read as follows:

"Social card game," as used in this chapter, means a card game, including but not limited to the game commonly known as "Mah-Jongg," which constitutes gambling and contains each of the following characteristics:

(1) There are two or more participants and each of them are players((~~. However, no business with a public cardroom on its premises may have more than five separate tables at which card games are played));~~

~~(2) A player's success at winning money or other thing of value by overcoming chance is in the long run largely determined by the skill of the player;~~

(3) No organization, corporation or person collects or obtains or charges any percentage of or collects or obtains any portion of the money or thing of value wagered or won by any of the players: PROVIDED, That this subsection shall not preclude a player from collecting or obtaining his or her winnings;

(4) ((No organization or corporation, or person collects or obtains any money or thing of value from, or charges or imposes any fee upon, any person which either enables him or her to play or results in or from his or her playing in excess of two dollars per half hour of playing time by that person collected in advance: PROVIDED, That a fee may also be charged for entry into a tournament for prizes, which fee shall not exceed fifty dollars, including all separate fees which might be paid by a player for various phases or events of the tournament: PROVIDED FURTHER, That this subsection shall not apply to the membership fee in any bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization;

~~(5)~~)) The type of card game is one specifically approved by the commission pursuant to RCW 9.46.070; and

((~~(6)~~)) (5) The extent of wagers, money or other thing of value which may be wagered or contributed by any player does not exceed the amount or value specified by the commission pursuant to RCW 9.46.070.

Sec. 2. RCW 9.46.0351 and 1987 c 4 s 34 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The legislature hereby authorizes any bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization which is licensed pursuant to RCW 66.24.400, and its officers and employees, to allow the use of the premises, furnishings, and other facilities not gambling devices of such organization by members of the organization, and members of a chapter or unit organized under the same state, regional, or national charter or constitution, who engage as players in the following types of gambling activities only:

(a) Social card games as defined in RCW 9.46.0281 (1) through ((~~(4)~~)) (3); and

(b) Social dice games, which shall be limited to contests of chance, the outcome of which are determined by one or more rolls of dice.

(2) Bona fide charitable or nonprofit organizations shall not be required to be licensed by the commission in order to allow use of their premises in accordance with this section. However, the following conditions must be met:

(a) No organization, corporation, or person shall collect or obtain or charge any percentage of or shall collect or obtain any portion of the money or thing of value wagered or won by any of the players: PROVIDED, That a player may collect his or her winnings; and

(b) No organization, corporation, or person shall collect or obtain any money or thing of value from, or charge or impose any fee upon, any person which either enables him or her to play or results in or from his or her playing: PROVIDED, That this subsection shall not preclude collection of a membership fee which is unrelated to participation in gambling activities authorized under this section.

Sec. 3. RCW 9.46.070 and 1987 c 4 s 38 are each amended to read as follows:

The commission shall have the following powers and duties:

(1) To authorize and issue licenses for a period not to exceed one year to bona fide charitable or nonprofit organizations approved by the commission meeting the requirements of this chapter and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto permitting said organizations to conduct bingo games, raffles, amusement games, and social card games, to utilize punch boards and pull-tabs in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto and to revoke or suspend said licenses for violation of any provisions of this chapter or any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto: PROVIDED, That the commission shall not deny a license to an otherwise qualified applicant in an effort to limit the number of licenses to be issued: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the commission or director shall not issue, deny, suspend or revoke any license because of considerations of race, sex, creed, color, or national origin: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That the commission may authorize the director to temporarily issue or suspend licenses subject to final action by the commission;

(2) To authorize and issue licenses for a period not to exceed one year to any person, association, or organization operating a business primarily engaged in the selling of items of food or drink for consumption on the premises, approved by the commission meeting the requirements of this chapter and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto permitting said person, association, or organization to utilize punch boards and pull-tabs and to conduct social card games as a commercial stimulant in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto and to revoke or suspend said licenses for violation of any provisions of this chapter and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto: PROVIDED, That the commission shall not deny a license to an otherwise qualified applicant in an effort to limit the number of licenses to be issued: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the commission may authorize the director to temporarily issue or suspend licenses subject to final action by the commission;

(3) To authorize and issue licenses for a period not to exceed one year to any person, association, or organization approved by the commission meeting the requirements of this chapter and meeting the requirements of any rules and regulations adopted by the commission pursuant to this chapter as now or hereafter amended, permitting said person, association, or organization to conduct or operate amusement games in such manner and at such locations as the commission may determine;

(4) To authorize, require, and issue, for a period not to exceed one year, such licenses as the commission may by rule provide, to any person, association, or organization to engage in the selling, distributing, or otherwise supplying or in the manufacturing of devices for use within this state for those activities authorized by this chapter;

(5) To establish a schedule of annual license fees for carrying on specific gambling activities upon the premises, and for such other activities as may be licensed by the commission, which fees shall provide to the commission not less than an amount of money adequate to cover all costs incurred by the commission relative to licensing under this chapter and the enforcement by the commission of the provisions of this chapter and rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto: PROVIDED, That all licensing fees shall be submitted with an application therefor and such portion of said fee as the commission may determine, based upon its cost of processing and investigation, shall be retained by the commission upon the withdrawal or denial of any such license application as its reasonable expense for processing the application and investigation into the granting thereof: PROVIDED FURTHER, That if in a particular case the basic license fee established by the commission for a particular class of license is less than the commission's actual expenses to investigate that particular application, the commission may at any time charge to that applicant such additional fees as are necessary to pay the commission for those costs. The commission may decline to proceed with its investigation and no license shall be issued until the commission has been fully paid therefor by the applicant: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That the commission may establish fees for the furnishing by it to licensees of identification stamps to be affixed to such devices and equipment as required by the commission and for such other special services or programs required or offered by the commission, the amount of each of these fees to be not less than is adequate to offset the cost to the commission of the stamps and of administering their dispersal to licensees or the cost of administering such other special services, requirements or programs;

(6) To prescribe the manner and method of payment of taxes, fees and penalties to be paid to or collected by the commission;

(7) To require that applications for all licenses contain such information as may be required by the commission: PROVIDED, That all persons (a) having a managerial or ownership interest in any gambling activity, or the building in which any gambling activity occurs, or the equipment to be used for any gambling activity, or (b) participating as an employee in the operation of any gambling activity, shall be listed on the application for the license and the applicant shall certify on the application, under oath, that the persons named on the application are all of the persons known to have an interest in any gambling activity, building, or equipment by the person making such application: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the commission may require fingerprinting and background checks on any persons seeking licenses under this chapter or of any person holding an interest in any gambling activity, building, or equipment to be used therefor, or of any person participating as an employee in the operation of any gambling activity;

(8) To require that any license holder maintain records as directed by the commission and submit such reports as the commission may deem necessary;

(9) To require that all income from bingo games, raffles, and amusement games be recorded and reported as established by rule or regulation of the commission to the extent deemed necessary by considering the scope and character of the gambling activity in such a manner that will disclose gross income from any gambling activity, amounts received from each player, the nature and value of prizes, and the fact of distributions of such prizes to the winners thereof;

(10) To regulate and establish maximum limitations on income derived from bingo: PROVIDED, That in establishing limitations pursuant to this subsection the commission shall take into account (i) the nature, character, and scope of the activities of the licensee; (ii) the source of all other income of the licensee; and (iii) the percentage or extent to which income derived from bingo is used for charitable, as distinguished from nonprofit, purposes;

(11) To regulate and establish the type and scope of and manner of conducting the gambling activities authorized by this chapter, including but not limited to, the extent of wager, money, or other thing of value which may be wagered or contributed or won by a player in any such activities;

(12) To regulate the maximum fee allowed and the collection of and the accounting for the fee which may be imposed by an organization, corporation or person licensed to conduct a social card game on a person desiring to become a player in a social card game ((~~in accordance with RCW 9.46.0281(4)~~));

(13) To regulate the type of social card games allowed under this chapter;

(14) To set a maximum number of separate tables at which card games may be played for a business with a public cardroom on its premises;

(15) To set maximum prices for pull-tabs and punch boards;

(16) To cooperate with and secure the cooperation of county, city, and other local or state agencies in investigating any matter within the scope of its duties and responsibilities;

((~~(14)~~)) (17) In accordance with RCW 9.46.080, to adopt such rules and regulations as are deemed necessary to carry out the purposes and provisions of this chapter. All rules and regulations shall be adopted pursuant to the administrative procedure act, chapter 34.05 RCW;

((~~(15)~~)) (18) To set forth for the perusal of counties, city-counties, cities and towns, model ordinances by which any legislative authority thereof may enter into the taxing of any gambling activity authorized by this chapter;

((~~(16)~~)) (19) To establish and regulate a maximum limit on salaries or wages which may be paid to persons employed in connection with activities conducted by bona fide charitable or nonprofit organizations and authorized by this chapter, where payment of such persons is allowed, and to regulate and establish maximum limits for other expenses in connection with such authorized activities, including but not limited to rent or lease payments.

In establishing these maximum limits the commission shall take into account the amount of income received, or expected to be received, from the class of activities to which the limits will apply and the amount of money the games could generate for authorized charitable or nonprofit purposes absent such expenses. The commission may also take into account, in its discretion, other factors, including but not limited to, the local prevailing wage scale and whether charitable purposes are benefited by the activities;

((~~(17)~~)) (20) To authorize, require, and issue for a period not to exceed one year such licenses or permits, for which the commission may by rule provide, to any person to work for any operator of any gambling activity authorized by this chapter in connection with that activity, or any manufacturer, supplier, or distributor of devices for those activities in connection with such business. The commission shall not require that persons working solely as volunteers in an authorized activity conducted by a bona fide charitable or bona fide nonprofit organization, who receive no compensation of any kind for any purpose from that organization, and who have no managerial or supervisory responsibility in connection with that activity, be licensed to do such work. The commission may require that licensees employing such unlicensed volunteers submit to the commission periodically a list of the names, addresses, and dates of birth of the volunteers. If any volunteer is not approved by the commission, the commission may require that the licensee not allow that person to work in connection with the licensed activity;

((~~(18)~~)) (21) To publish and make available at the office of the commission or elsewhere to anyone requesting it a list of the commission licensees, including the name, address, type of license, and license number of each licensee;

((~~(19)~~)) (22) To establish guidelines for determining what constitutes active membership in bona fide nonprofit or charitable organizations for the purposes of this chapter; and

((~~(20)~~)) (23) To perform all other matters and things necessary to carry out the purposes and provisions of this chapter.

Sec. 4. RCW 9.46.110 and 1991 c 161 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

The legislative authority of any county, city-county, city, or town, by local law and ordinance, and in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and rules and regulations promulgated hereunder, may provide for the taxing of any gambling activity authorized by this chapter within its jurisdiction, the tax receipts to go to the county, city-county, city, or town so taxing the same: PROVIDED, That any such tax imposed by a county alone shall not apply to any gambling activity within a city or town located therein but the tax rate established by a county, if any, shall constitute the tax rate throughout the unincorporated areas of such county: PROVIDED FURTHER, That (1) punch boards and pull-tabs, chances on which shall only be sold to adults, ((~~which shall have a fifty cent limit on a single chance thereon,~~)) shall be taxed on a basis which shall reflect only the gross receipts from such punch boards and pull-tabs; and (2) no punch board or pull-tab may award as a prize upon a winning number or symbol being drawn the opportunity of taking a chance upon any other punch board or pull-tab; and (3) all prizes for punch boards and pull-tabs must be on display within the immediate area of the premises wherein any such punch board or pull-tab is located and upon a winning number or symbol being drawn, such prize must be immediately removed therefrom, or such omission shall be deemed a fraud for the purposes of this chapter; and (4) when any person shall win over twenty dollars in money or merchandise from any punch board or pull-tab, every licensee hereunder shall keep a public record thereof for at least ninety days thereafter containing such information as the commission shall deem necessary: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That taxation of bingo and raffles shall never be in an amount greater than ten percent of the gross revenue received therefrom less the amount paid for or as prizes. Taxation of amusement games shall only be in an amount sufficient to pay the actual costs of enforcement of the provisions of this chapter by the county, city or town law enforcement agency and in no event shall such taxation exceed two percent of the gross revenue therefrom less the amount paid for as prizes: PROVIDED FURTHER, That no tax shall be imposed under the authority of this chapter on bingo or amusement games when such activities or any combination thereof are conducted by any bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization as defined in this chapter, which organization has no paid operating or management personnel and has gross income from bingo or amusement games, or a combination thereof, not exceeding five thousand dollars per year, less the amount paid for as prizes. No tax shall be imposed on the first ten thousand dollars of net proceeds from raffles conducted by any bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization as defined in this chapter. Taxation of punch boards and pull-tabs shall not exceed five percent of gross receipts, nor shall taxation of social card games exceed twenty percent of the gross revenue from such games.

Sec. 5. RCW 9.46.198 and 1977 ex.s. c 326 s 14 are each amended to read as follows:

Any person who works as an employee or agent or in a similar capacity for another person in connection with the operation of an activity for which a license is required under this chapter or by commission rule without having obtained the applicable license required by the commission under RCW 9.46.070((~~(16)~~)) (20) shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction, be punished by not more than one year in the county jail or a fine of not more than five thousand dollars, or both.