HomeMy WebLinkAboutORDINANCES - 11281995 - 95-61 ORDINANCE 95-6.1
(Cardrooms)
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors ordains as follows (omitting
the parenthetical footnotes from the official text from the enacted provisions of
the County Ordinance Code) .
SECTION I. SUMMARY. This Ordinance amends section 52-3.107 to expressly
allow two additional games and other lawful games approved in advance by the
Sheriff or the Board of Supervisors, and to provide for a procedure for cardroom
licensees to apply for the playing of new proposed games. This Ordinance
amends section 52-3.307 to increase the cardroom license new application fee from
five hundred dollars ($500) to ten thousand dollars ($10,000), to make the
renewal application fee five hundred dollars ($500), and to make the fees non-
refundable. This Ordinance amends section 52-3.309 to delete the provision
regarding the use of the application fee and the return of the fee in cases of
disapproved applications. This Ordinance amends section 52-3.319 to delete the
annual license fee of five hundred dollars ($500) per table and the proration of
such a fee, and to provide that, should the Board order it, an approved license
shall not be effective and operational until approved by the involved electorate.
This Ordinance amends section 52-3.507 to delete the limitation on the number of
persons allowed at each table. This Ordinance also amends section 52-3.703 to
eliminate the requirement that an applicant for a cardroom work permit reside in
the state for one year preceding the application. This Ordinance adds section 52-
320 to do the following: to impose on cardroom licensees a monthly fee of thirteen
and one-half percent (13.5 %) of total monthly gross revenue; to retain the fee of
five hundred dollars ($500) per table for cardrooms existing and operational
before December 30, 1995; to apply the new fees to existing cardrooms that
substantially enlarge operations; to require applicants for cardroom licenses to
deposit a non-refundable sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) to be credited against
monthly fee payments; to require a minimum monthly payment of one hundred
thousand dollars ($100,000) following the first twelve months of operation by a
cardroom; to impose an additional fee of ten percent (10 a) of the total entry fees
for tournaments held in cardrooms; to require licensees to pay any and all
applicable County business license taxes concerning the non-cardroom business
operations of a cardroom; to require licensees to make monthly reports to the
County concerning gross revenue derived from a cardroom; to require licensees
to pay for a.certified public accountant's review of a licensee's records at fiscal
year's end and the submittal of the accountant's report to the County; to allow
the County to audit the books, records, and accounts of licensees; to allow the
County to review cardroom licensees' tax returns (that will be confidential unless
otherwise required); to charge licensees the full cost of any audit where more
than a two percent (2 0) underpayment is found; to provide that certain failures
by licensees may lead to the suspension or revocation of a cardroom license; to
impose financial penalties against licensees for the late payments of fees; to allow
the County to pursue any legal remedies against licensees who become delinquent
in required payments; to provide that any and all fees to be paid by applicants
and licensees are non-refundable and shall not be prorated; to provide that the
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ORDINANCE NO. 95- 61
Board may specify different rates for fees if necessary to be competitive with
other jurisdictions or to be consistent with current practices in other
jurisdictions; and, to provide that, except as otherwise provided, the new fees
provisions shall be administered by the county department designated by the
County Administrator.
SECTION II. Section 52-3.107 is amended to read:
52-3.107. Prohibited types of gambling. (a) Games. Except for draw
poker, lowball, panguingue, Texas Hold'em, and double-handed poker (also
known as pai gow poker), and other games not violative of California law and
specially approved in writing and in advance by the sheriff, or, after appeal, by
the board, played in a cardroom licensed under this chapter and otherwise fully
complying with this chapter, ordinance code and law, no person shall deal, play,
carry on, open or cause to be opened, conduct or bet at or against any lottery or
game not prohibited by state law, with cards, dice, or any device, for money,
checks, credit, or other representative of value.
(b) Procedure for Game Approval. Any cardroom licensee seeking
approval of a game not expressly named in subsection (a) of this section may
submit an application to the sheriff. The application shall be in a form acceptable
to the sheriff, but shall include the name of the proposed game and a detailed
description of how the game is played. The application shall be accompanied by
an application fee of five hundred dollars ($500) . The sheriff shall review and
investigate the application to.determine if the game is not violative of California
law. The review and investigation shall be completed within ten business days of
the submittal of the application, unless the sheriff notifies the applicant in
writing before the expiration of the ten business days that an additional period or
periods is necessary to complete the review and application. If the game is
determined to be not violative of California law, the sheriff shall so notify the
applicant in writing. Play of the game in the applicant's cardroom is permitted
upon the applicant's receipt of the sheriff's written notice. If the game is
violative of California law, the sheriff shall so notify the applicant in writing,
setting forth the grounds and any legal authorities in support of that conclusion.
(c) Appeal. Appeals are governed by Chapter 14-4. (Ords. 95-61; 82-
44, 77-113, 1458: § 52.2.202: prior code § 5200; Ords. 1317, 724, 142, 138, 43,_
42, 41.)
SECTION III. Section 52-3.307 is amended to read:
52-3.307. Applications fee. (a) New Applications. An application fee in
the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) shall accompany any new application
for a cardroom license. Such fee shall be non-refundable. A deposit is also
required under Section 52-3.320 (b) .
(b) Renewal Applications. A renewal application fee in the amount of five
hundred dollars ($500) shall accompany any renewal application for a cardroom
license. Such fee shall be non-refundable. (Ords. 95-61 , 82-44, 76-67 § 2,
1779, 1506, 1464, 1458: § 52-2.604: prior code § 5203.)
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ORDINANCE NO. 95- 61
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