Chapter 025
2012 -- H 7543 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 04/11/12
A N A C T
RELATING TO
STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- AUTHORIZING STATE-
OPERATED CASINO
GAMING AT
Introduced By: Representatives Jackson, Martin, Reilly, and Ruggiero
Date Introduced: February 15, 2012
It is enacted by the
General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 42-61.2 of the General Laws entitled
"Video Lottery Terminal" is
hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
State-operated casino gaming shall be authorized at
the facility of the licensed video lottery
terminal retailer known as “
requirements of Article VI, Section 22 of the
said facility at the general election next held after
enactment of this section.
(1) With respect to
the
be effective upon:
(i)
The certification by the secretary of state that the qualified voters of the
state have
approved the expansion of gambling at such facility to include
casino gaming; and
(ii) The
certification by the board of canvassers of the city of
electors of the city of
include casino gaming.
(b) The general
assembly finds that:
(i)
The operation of casino gaming at
economy of the state and enhance local revenues;
(2) Pursuant to
Article VI, Section 15 of the
powers, authorities and safeguards set forth in subsection
(c) herein in connection with the
operation of casino gaming, the state shall have full
operational control over the specified
location at which casino gaming shall be conducted;
(3) It is in the best
interest of the state to have the authorization to operate casino gaming
as specified at
(4) Pursuant to the
provisions of subdivision 42-61.2-2.1(b)(4), and by
action of the
governor, an extensive analysis and evaluation of competitive
casino-gaming operations was
completed, which concluded that the viability of
facility is threatened by the location of casino gaming in
(5) The legislature
shall, by enactment of comprehensive legislation during the 2012
session, determine the terms and conditions pursuant to which
casino gaming would be operated
in the state if it is authorized as set forth herein.
(c) Notwithstanding
the provisions of any other law and pursuant to Article VI, Section
15 of the
gaming at
through the division of state lottery and/or the department
of business regulation, shall have full
operational control to operate the foregoing facilities, the
authority to make all decisions about all
aspects of the functioning of the business enterprise,
including, without limitation, the power and
authority to:
(1) Determine the
number, type, placement and arrangement of casino-gaming games,
tables and sites within the facility;
(2) Establish with
respect to casino gaming one or more systems for linking, tracking,
deposit and reporting of receipts, audits, annual reports,
prohibitive conduct and other such
matters determined from time to time;
(3) Collect all
receipts from casino gaming, require that
gaming gross receipts in trust for the state through the
division of state lottery, deposit such
receipts into an account or accounts of its choice, allocate
such receipts according to law, and
otherwise maintain custody and control over all casino-gaming
receipts and funds;
(4) Hold and exercise
sufficient powers over
allow for adequate oversight and verification of the
financial aspects of casino gaming at the
facility, including, without limitation:
(i)
The right to require
loss, and any other necessary information or reports; and
(ii) The authority
and power to conduct periodic compliance or special or focused audits
of the information or reports provided, as well as the
premises with the facility containing records
of casino gaming or in which the business of
conducted;
(5) Monitor all casino-gaming
operations and have the power to terminate or suspend any
casino-gaming activities in the event of an integrity concern or
other threat to the public trust, and
in furtherance thereof, require the licensed video
lottery retailer to provide a specified area or
areas from which to conduct such monitoring activities;
(6) Define and limit
the rules of play and odds of authorized casino-gaming games,
including, without limitation, the minimum and maximum wagers
for each casino-gaming game;
(7) Have approval
rights over matters relating to the employment of individuals to be
involved, directly or indirectly, with the operation of casino
gaming at
(8) Establish
compulsive gambling treatment programs;
(9) Promulgate, or
propose for promulgation, any legislative, interpretive and procedural
rules necessary for the successful implementation,
administration and enforcement of this
chapter; and
(10) Hold all other
powers necessary and proper to fully effectively execute and
administer the provisions of this chapter for its purpose of
allowing the state to operate a casino-
gaming facility through a licensed video lottery retailer
hosting said casino gaming on behalf of
the state of
(d) Subject to
subsection (a) above, the state, through the division of state lottery and/or
the department of business regulation, may expand
license issued, or issue
the extent authorized by this act.
(e) Subject to
subsection (a) above, all rules and regulations shall be promulgated by the
state, through the division of state lottery and the
department of business regulation, in
accordance with the authority conferred upon the general
assembly pursuant to Article VI,
Section 15 of the
the state, through the division of state lottery and/or
the department of business regulation, shall
have authority to issue such regulations as it deems
appropriate pertaining to control, operation
and management of casino gaming as specifically set forth
in subsections (b) and (c).
SECTION 2. Nothing in this act shall abrogate or
diminish the powers of the state,
through the division of state lottery and/or the department
of business regulation, to conduct and
control video lottery terminals pursuant to chapter 42-61.2
of the general laws.
SECTION 3. Pursuant to Article VI, section 22 of
the
following question shall be submitted by the secretary of state
to the qualified electors of the state
at the next statewide general election, and the
secretary of state shall certify the election results:
“Shall
an act be approved which would authorize the facility known as “
in the city of
gambling it offers?”
SECTION 4. Pursuant to Article VI, section 22 of
the Rhode Island constitution, the
following question shall be submitted by the local board of
canvassers to the qualified electors of
the city of
to the secretary of state:
“Shall an act be approved which would authorize the facility known as “
in the city of
gambling it offers?”
SECTION 5. Unless otherwise amended by this act,
the terms, conditions, provisions,
and definitions of chapters 322 and 323 of the public
laws of 2005 and chapter 16 of the public
laws of 2010 are hereby incorporated herein by reference
and shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. The said question to be submitted to
the qualified electors relating to
Newport Grand, as well
as that question to be submitted to the qualified electors pursuant to
article 25 of chapter 151 of the 2011 public laws relating to
as the first two (2) referendum question.
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect upon passage.
=======
LC01606/SUB A
=======