California Gambling Law

The Coalition for Justice in Hawaiian Gardens and Jerusalem believes that Attorney General Bill Lockyer must determine that Irving Moskowitz doesn't meet the state law's requirements for the gambling license he needs to operate the 250-table casino he's building in Hawaiian Gardens. Read the law for yourself. We've used bold-face type to highlight relevant sections.

19800. This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the "Gambling Control Act."

19801. The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following:

(a) The longstanding public policy of this state disfavors the business of gambling. State law prohibits commercially operated lotteries, banked or percentage games, and gambling machines, and strictly regulates parimutuel wagering on horse racing. To the extent that state law categorically prohibits certain forms of gambling and prohibits gambling devices, nothing herein shall be construed, in any manner, to reflect a legislative intent to relax those prohibitions.

(b) Gambling can become addictive and is not an activity to be promoted or legitimized as entertainment for children and families.

(c) (1) Unregulated gambling enterprises are inimical to the public health, safety, welfare, and good order. Accordingly, no person in this state has a right to operate a gambling enterprise except as may be expressly permitted by the laws of this state and by the ordinances of local governmental bodies.

(2) The State of California has permitted the operation of gambling establishments for more than one hundred years. Gambling establishments were first regulated by the State of California pursuant to legislation which was enacted in 1984. Gambling establishments currently employ more than twenty thousand people in the State of California, and contribute more than one hundred million dollars in taxes and fees to California's government. Gambling establishments are lawful enterprises in the State of California, and are entitled to full protection of the laws of this state. The industry is currently in significant decline, with more than half the gambling establishments in this state closing within the past four years.

(d) It is the policy of this state that gambling activities that are not expressly prohibited or regulated by state law may be prohibited or regulated by local government. Moreover, it is the policy of this state that no new gambling establishment may be opened in a city, county, or city and county in which a gambling establishment was not operating on and before January 1, 1984, except upon the affirmative vote of the electors of that city, county, or city and county.

(e) It is not the purpose of this chapter to expand opportunities for gambling, or to create any right to operate a gambling enterprise in this state or to have a financial interest in any gambling enterprise. Rather, it is the purpose of this chapter to regulate businesses that offer otherwise lawful forms of gambling games.

(f) Public trust that permissible gambling will not endanger public health, safety, or welfare requires that comprehensive measures be enacted to ensure that such gambling is free from criminal and corruptive elements, that it is conducted honestly and competitively, and that it is conducted in suitable locations.

(g) Public trust and confidence can only be maintained by strict and comprehensive regulation of all persons, locations, practices, associations, and activities related to the operation of lawful gambling establishments and the manufacture or distribution of permissible gambling equipment.

(h) All gambling operations, all persons having a significant involvement in gambling operations, all establishments where gambling is conducted, and all manufacturers, sellers, and distributors of gambling equipment must be licensed and regulated to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare of the residents of this state as an exercise of the police powers of the state.

(i) To ensure that gambling is conducted honestly, competitively, and free of criminal and corruptive elements, all licensed gambling establishments in this state must remain open to the general public and the access of the general public to licensed gambling activities must not be restricted in any manner, except as provided by the Legislature. However, subject to state and federal prohibitions against discrimination, nothing herein shall be construed to preclude exclusion of unsuitable persons from licensed gambling establishments in the exercise of reasonable business judgment.

(j) In order to effectuate state policy as declared herein, it is necessary that gambling establishments, activities, and equipment be licensed, that persons participating in those activities be licensed or registered, that certain transactions, events, and processes involving gambling establishments and owners of gambling establishments be subject to prior approval or permission, that unsuitable persons not be permitted to associate with gambling activities or gambling establishments, and that gambling activities take place only in suitable locations. Any license or permit issued, or other approval granted pursuant to this chapter, is declared to be a revocable privilege, and no holder acquires any vested right therein or thereunder.

(k) The location of lawful gambling premises, the hours of operation of those premises, the number of tables permitted in those premises, and wagering limits in permissible games conducted in those premises are proper subjects for regulation by local governmental bodies. However, consideration of those same subjects by a state regulatory agency, as specified in this chapter, is warranted when local governmental regulation respecting those subjects is inadequate or the regulation fails to safeguard the legitimate interests of residents in other governmental jurisdictions.

(l) The exclusion or ejection of certain persons from gambling establishments is necessary to effectuate the policies of this chapter and to maintain effectively the strict regulation of licensed gambling.

(m) Records and reports of cash and credit transactions involving gambling establishments may have a high degree of usefulness in criminal and regulatory investigations and, therefore, licensed gambling operators may be required to keep records and make reports concerning significant cash and credit transactions.

19801.2. The Legislature further finds and declares as follows:

Appropriate regulation of banking and percentage games or of gambling devices consistent with public safety and welfare would require, at a minimum, all of the following safeguards:

(a) The creation of an adequately funded gambling control commission with comprehensive powers to establish minimum standards and technical specifications for gambling equipment and devices.

(b) The creation of an adequately funded law enforcement capability within state government to inspect, test, and evaluate gambling equipment and devices and modifications thereto.

(c) An appropriation by the Legislature to sufficiently fund a full-time commission and law enforcement capability with responsibilities commensurate with the expanded scope of gambling.

(d) The enactment of necessary regulations setting forth standards and procedures for the licensing of persons connected with the manufacture, sale, and distribution of equipment and devices in this state.

(e) The enactment of standards related to the trustworthiness and fairness of equipment and devices, upon the commission's recommendation to the Legislature.

(f) The enactment of statutory provisions governing the importation, transportation, sale, and disposal of equipment and devices, upon the commission's recommendation to the Legislature.

(g) The enactment of statutes providing for appropriate inspection and testing of equipment and devices, upon the commission's recommendation to the Legislature.

19802. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this chapter, to provide uniform, minimum standards of regulation of permissible gambling activities and the operation of lawful gambling establishments.

(b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to preclude any city, county, or city and county from prohibiting any gambling activity, from imposing more stringent local controls or conditions upon gambling than are imposed by this chapter or by the board, from inspecting gambling premises to enforce applicable state and local laws, or from imposing any local tax or license fee, if the prohibition, control, condition, inspection, tax, or fee is not inconsistent with this chapter. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect the responsibility of local law enforcement agencies to enforce the laws of this state, including this chapter.

19804. (a) In any action for declaratory or injunctive relief, or for relief by way of any extraordinary writ, other than an action initiated pursuant to Section 19922, wherein the construction, application, or enforcement of this chapter, or any regulation adopted pursuant thereto, or any order of the division or the board issued pursuant thereto, is called into question, a court shall not grant any preliminary or permanent injunction, or any peremptory writ of mandate, certiorari, or prohibition, in connection therewith, except as follows:

(1) Upon proof by clear and convincing evidence that the division or the board is abusing or threatens to abuse its discretion.

(2) Upon proof by clear and convincing evidence that the division or the board is exceeding or threatens to exceed its jurisdiction.

(b) No temporary injunction or other provisional order shall issue to restrain, stay, or otherwise interfere with any action by the division or the board except upon a finding by the court, based on clear and convincing evidence, that the public interest will not be prejudiced thereby, and no such order shall be effective for more than 15 calendar days.

(c) Nothing herein shall be construed to relieve a petitioner's obligation to exhaust administrative remedies.

(d) In an action for relief of any nature wherein the construction, application, or enforcement of this chapter, or any regulation adopted pursuant thereto, or any order of the division or board issued pursuant thereto, is called into question, the party filing the pleading shall furnish a copy thereof to the division.

The copy shall be furnished by the party filing the pleading within 10 business days after filing.

19805. As used in this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) "Affiliate" means a person who, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, a specified person.

(b) "Applicant" means any person who has applied for, or is about to apply for, a state gambling license, manufacturer's or distributor' s license, or approval of any act or transaction for which division

approval is required or permitted under this chapter.

(c) "Board" means the California Gambling Control Board.

(d) "Controlled gambling" means to deal, operate, carry on, conduct, maintain, or expose for play any controlled game.

(e) "Controlled game" means any controlled game, as defined by subdivision (e) of Section 337j of the Penal Code.

(f) "Director," when used in connection with a corporation, means any director of a corporation or any person performing similar functions with respect to any organization. In any other case, "director" means the Director of the Division of Gambling Control.

(g) "Division" means the Division of Gambling Control in the Department of Justice.

(h) "Finding of suitability" means a finding that a person meets the qualification criteria described in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 19848, and that the person would not be disqualified from holding a state gambling license on any of the grounds specified in subdivision (a) of Section 19850.

(i) "Game" and "gambling game" means any controlled game.

(j) "Gambling" means to deal, operate, carry on, conduct, maintain, or expose for play any controlled game.

(k) "Gambling enterprise employee" means any natural person employed in the operation of a gambling enterprise, including, without limitation, dealers, floormen, security employees, countroom personnel, cage personnel, collection personnel, surveillance personnel, data processing personnel, appropriate maintenance personnel, waiters and waitresses, and secretaries, or any other natural person whose employment duties require or authorize access to restricted gambling establishment areas.

(l) "Gambling establishment" or "establishment" means one or more rooms where any controlled gambling occurs.

(m) "Gambling license" means any license issued by the state that authorizes the person named therein to conduct a gambling operation.

(n) "Gambling operation" means one or more controlled games that are dealt, operated, carried on, conducted, maintained, or exposed for play for commercial gain.

(o) Except as provided by regulation, "gross revenue" means the total of all compensation received for conducting any controlled game, and includes interest received in payment for credit extended by an owner licensee to a patron for purposes of gambling.

(p) Except as determined by regulation, "independent agent" means any person who does either of the following:

(1) Approves or grants the extension of gambling credit on behalf of a gambling licensee or collects debt evidenced by a credit instrument.

(2) Contracts with an owner licensee, or an affiliate thereof, to provide services consisting of arranging transportation or lodging for guests at a gambling establishment.

(q) "Institutional investor" means any retirement fund administered by a public agency for the exclusive benefit of federal, state, or local public employees, any investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. Sec. 80a-1 et seq.), any collective investment trust organized by banks under Part Nine of the Rules of the Comptroller of the Currency, any closed-end investment trust, any chartered or licensed life insurance company or property and casualty insurance company, any banking and other chartered or licensed lending institution, any investment advisor registered under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. Sec. 80b-1 et seq.) acting in that capacity, and such other persons as the board may determine for reasons consistent with the policies of this chapter.

(r) "Key employee" means any natural person employed in the operation of a gambling enterprise in a supervisory capacity or empowered to make discretionary decisions that regulate gambling operations, including, without limitation, pit bosses, shift bosses, credit executives, cashier operations supervisors, gambling operation managers and assistant managers, managers or supervisors of security employees, or any other natural person designated as a key employee by the division for reasons consistent with the policies of this chapter.

(s) "Key employee license" means a state license authorizing the holder to be associated with a gambling enterprise as a key employee.

(t) "Licensed gambling establishment" means the gambling premises encompassed by a state gambling license.

(u) "Limited partnership" means a partnership formed by two or more persons having as members one or more general partners and one or more limited partners.

(v) "Limited partnership interest" means the right of a general or limited partner to any of the following:

(1) To receive from a limited partnership any of the following:

(A) A share of the revenue.

( Any other compensation by way of income.

(C) A return of any or all of his or her contribution to capital of the limited partnership.

(2) To exercise any of the rights provided under state law.

(w) "Owner licensee" means an owner of a gambling enterprise who holds a state gambling license.

(x) Unless otherwise indicated, "person" includes a natural person, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, trust, joint venture, association, or any other business organization.

(y) "Publicly traded racing association" means a corporation licensed to conduct horseracing and simulcast wagering pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 19400) whose stock is publicly traded.

(z) "Qualified racing association" means a corporation licensed to conduct horseracing and simulcast wagering pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 19400) that is a wholly owned subsidiary of a corporation whose stock is publicly traded.

(aa) "Work permit" means any card, certificate, or permit issued by the division or by a county, city, or city and county, whether denominated as a work permit, registration card, or otherwise, authorizing the holder to be employed as a gambling enterprise employee or to serve as an independent agent. A document issued by any governmental authority for any employment other than gambling is not a valid work permit for the purposes of this chapter.

19806. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed in any way to permit or authorize any conduct made unlawful by Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 319) of, or Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 330) of, Title 9 of Part 1 of the Penal Code, or any local ordinance.

19807. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, whenever the division or board is a defendant or respondent in any proceeding, or when there is any legal challenge to regulations issued by the board or division, venue for the proceeding shall be in the County of Sacramento, the City and County of San Francisco, the County of Los Angeles, or the County of San Diego.

19808. Upon the occurrence of one of the events specified in Section 66 of the act that added this chapter, any reference in this chapter to a section repealed upon the occurrence of one of those events shall be deemed to be a reference to the successor section of the same number with the suffix "A" made operative pursuant to Section 66 of the act that added this chapter.