PRINTER'S NO. 2524
No. 1855 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY CONKLIN, SURRA, McCALL, HARKINS, SANTONI, THOMAS,
SAINATO, SABATINA, BRENNAN, BELFANTI, FRANKEL, MANN, PALLONE,
KORTZ, PETRONE, KULA, J. WHITE, LEACH, MAHONEY, SEIP,
YOUNGBLOOD, SHIMKUS, SIPTROTH AND MARSHALL,
SEPTEMBER 27, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON GAMING OVERSIGHT, SEPTEMBER 27, 2007
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of December 19, 1988 (P.L.1262, No.156),
2 entitled, as amended, "An act providing for the licensing of
3 eligible organizations to conduct games of chance, for the
4 licensing of persons to distribute games of chance, for the
5 registration of manufacturers of games of chance, and for
6 suspensions and revocations of licenses and permits;
7 requiring records; providing for local referendum by
8 electorate; and prescribing penalties," further providing for
9 definitions, for prize limits and for special permits
10 relating to card game contests.
11 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
12 hereby enacts as follows:
13 Section 1. The definition of "games of chance" in section 3
14 of the act of December 19, 1988 (P.L.1262, No.156), known as the
15 Local Option Small Games of Chance Act, amended October 18, 2000
16 (P.L.602, No.79), is amended and the section is amended by
17 adding definitions to read:
18 Section 3. Definitions.
19 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
20 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
1 context clearly indicates otherwise:
2 * * *
3 "Card game contest." A card game that is conducted with
4 multiple rounds of play of a specified number of hands for each
5 round and completed within a period not to exceed 24 hours, in
6 which:
7 (1) A player's bet must stay within the minimum and
8 maximum bet allowed at the table.
9 (2) A player is eliminated from the card game so
10 conducted if:
11 (i) the player loses all of the player's chips;
12 (ii) the player does not have enough chips to meet
13 the required minimum bet; or
14 (iii) the player has the fewest chips after a
15 certain number of hands are played.
16 (3) The winner of the card game so conducted is:
17 (i) the last player at the table; or
18 (ii) the player with the most chips after a certain
19 specified number of rounds are played.
20 * * *
21 "Games of chance." Punchboards, daily drawings, weekly
22 drawings, raffles and pull-tabs, as defined in this act,
23 provided that no such game shall be played by or with the
24 assistance of any mechanical or electrical devices or media
25 other than a dispensing machine or passive selection device and
26 further provided that the particular chance taken by any person
27 in any such game shall not be made contingent upon any other
28 occurrence or the winning of any other contest, but shall be
29 determined solely at the discretion of the purchaser. This
30 definition includes a card game contest. This definition shall
20070H1855B2524 - 2 -
1 not be construed to authorize any other form of gambling
2 currently prohibited under any provision of Title 18 of the
3 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes (relating to crimes and
4 offenses). Nothing in this act shall be construed to authorize
5 games commonly known as "slot machines" or "video poker."
6 * * *
7 Section 2. Section 5 of the act is amended by adding a
8 subsection to read:
9 Section 5. Prize limits.
10 * * *
11 (i) Card game contest limits.--Notwithstanding any other
12 provision of this act to the contrary, the maximum cash value
13 which may be awarded for any single card game in a card game
14 contest shall be $500.
15 Section 3. Section 11 of the act, amended December 19, 1990
16 (P.L.812, No.195), is amended to read:
17 Section 11. Special permits.
18 (a) Issuance and fee.--
19 (1) The licensing authority shall issue a special permit
20 for each raffle in which the licensee proposes to award
21 individual prizes having a cash value in excess of $500.
22 (2) The licensing authority shall issue a special permit
23 for each card game contest which the licensee proposes to
24 conduct.
25 (3) The licensing authority may establish and collect a
26 fee not to exceed $25 for the issuance of special permits
27 under this section.
28 (b) Permit application.--
29 (1) Each [special permit] application submitted for a
30 special permit under subsection (a)(1) shall specify the
20070H1855B2524 - 3 -
1 location where the actual drawing will be held, the number of
2 chances to be sold, the price per chance and the cash value
3 of the prize or prizes to be awarded.
4 (2) Each application submitted for a special permit
5 under subsection (a)(2) shall specify the location where the
6 card game contest will be conducted, the number of persons to
7 be admitted for the card game contest and all of the house
8 rules to be used.
9 Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
H23L04DMS/20070H1855B2524 - 4 -