FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5560

                          C 118 L 97

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Changing social card game provisions.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Senators Schow, Prentice, Snyder, Anderson and Horn).

Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor

House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Background:  Taverns, restaurants and other businesses primarily engaged in selling food or drink may be licensed to conduct social card games approved by the Gambling Commission.

Only those who are players, defined as those individuals who engage on equal terms with other participants and solely as contestants or bettors, are permitted to participate in card games.

Cardrooms are currently permitted to serve as custodians of player supported progressive prize contests operated in conjunction with any card game authorized by the Gambling Commission.

Summary:  The definition of "social card games" is modified.  A card room operator may be authorized to conduct card games such as house-banked or player-funded banked card games or other card games approved by the Gambling Commission.

The definition of "player" is modified to make it consistent with changes made to the definition of "social card games."

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 44 4

House     97 0

Effective:  July 27, 1997