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<section article="gcr" article_name="Criminal Law" number="13-1512" title_number="13" title_name="Gaming -- Local Provisions" subtitle_number="15" subtitle_name="Harford County">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “gaming contest” means an event that involves a card game, a dice game, or roulette.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>An organization shall be issued a permit from the Sheriff of Harford County before the organization may conduct a gaming contest in Harford County.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>An organization is eligible to be issued a permit if the organization qualifies as a nonprofit organization under § 501(c)(3) or (19) of the Internal Revenue Code and has been located in the county for at least 3 years before applying for the permit.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>To be issued a permit, an organization shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>submit an application to the sheriff on a form that the sheriff requires;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>state on the application form the purpose for which the proceeds of the gaming contest will be used; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>pay the permit fee that the sheriff determines.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A holder of a permit may not conduct more than four gaming contests in a calendar year.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A permit is not transferable.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A gaming contest may be held only:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>between 4 p.m. and 1 a.m. the following day; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>in a structure or at a location that is owned, rented, or leased by the holder of the permit.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A separate permit is required for each gaming contest.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, bingo, instant bingo, a raffle, a paddle wheel, or a 50/50 raffle may be included in the games conducted at a gaming contest.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A gaming contest may not consist exclusively of a game specified in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>An organization that is the permit holder may charge only a preset entrance fee for a gaming contest.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Participants in a gaming contest shall receive tokens for wagering in exchange for the entrance fee.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A participant may purchase additional tokens, at a total cost not exceeding 100% of the entrance fee, during a gaming contest.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>An organization that is the permit holder may not allow cash to be used for wagering.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>A holder of a permit may serve or sell alcoholic beverages at a gaming contest only if the holder is issued the proper license by the Harford County Liquor Control Board.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>An organization that is the permit holder may not exchange tokens used for wagering for:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>an item of merchandise that is worth more than $10,000;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>money; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>an item of merchandise having a value that is different from the fair market retail value of the item of merchandise that was received for the tokens.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>An organization may rent or purchase necessary equipment and supplies to conduct a gaming contest but may not enter into a lease or other agreement to share profits from the gaming contest.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A gaming contest shall be managed and operated personally by members of the organization conducting the gaming contest.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A member of the organization may not receive or be paid any of the proceeds from the gaming contest for personal use or benefit.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A person may not receive a salary, a commission, or compensation of any kind for managing the gaming contest or operating a game played in the gaming contest.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>A person other than the holder of the permit may not receive or be paid any proceeds.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>To volunteer as an operator of a gaming contest, an individual shall be at least 18 years old.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>To participate in a gaming contest, an individual shall be at least 21 years old.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>After costs incurred in conducting a gaming contest are deducted, proceeds from a gaming contest shall be used to benefit a charity or to further the purpose of the organization.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Within 30 days after a gaming contest, the holder of the permit shall submit to the sheriff a financial report that lists all of the receipts and expenditures for the gaming contest.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The report shall contain a full accounting of the proceeds and expenses of the gaming contest and the name, address, and Social Security number of a participant that is declared the winner of a gaming contest requiring the issuance of Internal Revenue Service Form W–2G or a substantially equivalent form.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The sheriff or the Office of the Harford County State’s Attorney may require the holder of the permit to produce all financial records of the gaming contest.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The holder of the permit shall keep all financial records of the gaming contest for at least 2 years after the gaming contest.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The sheriff may refuse to issue a permit to an applicant who has failed to file a required report from a previous gaming contest or is late in filing federal or State tax returns.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>If requested by the sheriff, the holder of the permit shall pay all financial audit costs.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <text>The sheriff shall adopt regulations to carry out this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="m">
    <text>An organization that is found to have violated this section is ineligible to receive a permit under this section for a period of 5 years.</text>
  </level>
</section>
