<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gcr" article_name="Criminal Law" number="13-1602.1" title_number="13" title_name="Gaming -- Local Provisions" subtitle_number="16" subtitle_name="Howard County">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “Department” means the Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses, and Permits.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Before an organization listed in subsection (d) of this section may operate a casino event, the organization shall obtain a permit from the Department.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>On the recommendation of the Department, the County Executive shall forward to the County Council a recommendation for the fee to be charged for a permit under this section.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The County Council shall adopt by resolution the amount of the permit fee.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Subject to subsections (d) and (e) of this section, an organization may conduct:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>one casino event that includes a card game during each calendar month; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>one casino event that includes roulette during each calendar year.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>To conduct a casino event under subsection (c) of this section, an organization shall be:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a bona fide volunteer fire company; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>a bona fide war veterans’ organization.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A permit holder for a casino event that includes a card game or roulette shall ensure that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>an individual or group of individuals does not benefit financially from the holding of the casino event;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>an individual or group of individuals does not receive any of the proceeds of the casino event for personal use or benefit;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the casino event is managed personally by the members of the permit holder;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>a parent, a subsidiary, or an affiliate of the organization sponsoring the event has not sponsored a casino event within the calendar month or calendar year, as appropriate; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>the casino event is conducted between 4 p.m. and 1 a.m.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>An organization that is the permit holder may charge only a preset entrance fee for a casino event.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Participants in a casino event shall receive tokens for wagering in exchange for the entrance fee.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A participant may purchase additional tokens, at a total cost not exceeding 100% of the entrance fee, during a casino event.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>An organization that is the permit holder may not allow cash to be used for wagering.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A person that holds a casino event that includes a card game or roulette may not:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>offer or award cumulative prizes that have a fair market value in excess of $5,000 at the event;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>allow a player to bet more than $10 in tokens in any one game within the calendar month or calendar year, as appropriate;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>exchange tokens used in wagering for an item of merchandise that is worth more than $1,000; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>exchange merchandise that was received for tokens that were used in wagering for an item of merchandise having a value that is different from the fair retail market value of the item of merchandise that was received for the tokens.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>To volunteer as an operator at a casino event, an individual shall be at least 18 years old.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>To participate in a casino event, an individual shall be at least 21 years old.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Within 60 days after holding a casino event that includes a card game or roulette, the holder of the permit for the event shall submit to the Department:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>a financial report that lists the receipts and expenditures for the casino event; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the name, address, and Social Security number of a participant that is declared the winner at a casino event of a prize for which the issuance of Internal Revenue Service Form W–2G or a substantially equivalent form is required.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Before the permit holder submits the report to the Department, the permit holder shall submit the report to the county police department for review.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Department shall adopt regulations to govern:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the issuance of a permit to conduct a casino event; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the conduct and management of a casino event in a manner designed to prevent fraud and to protect the public.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The regulations shall require that a separate permit be issued for each casino event to be conducted.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
