2011 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 27 — Louisiana gaming control
RS 27:302 — Description and specifications of devices

§302. Description and specifications of devices

A. Each video draw poker device shall:

(1) Be inspected by the division or its designee for certification and compliance.

(2) Be connected with a system consisting of player operated terminals and a self-contained control computer.

(3) Not have any device or program that will alter the reading of the values or amounts of play to reflect values or amounts other than actually played or any switches, jumpers, wire posts, or any other means of manipulation that could affect the operation or outcome of a game.

(4) Not have any device, switch, program, or function that can alter the readings of the actual amounts or values relating to any function or occurrence of the device.

(5) Offer the game of draw poker or such other card games as are approved by the division and have the following method of operation:

(a) The cards must be shuffled after each hand is dealt.

(b) The game must utilize a deck of cards consisting of fifty-two standard playing cards, and up to two jokers may also be used. The deck must be shuffled by use of a random number generator to exchange each card in the deck with another randomly selected card.

(c) After shuffling, a required number of cards must be dealt from the top of the deck.

(d) Any discarded cards must be replaced by remaining cards in the deck, starting with the next subsequent card and using the cards in the order of the deck.

(e) The game must display the hands for which won games or credits will be awarded and the number of won games or credits for each hand, not to exceed the value of five hundred dollars.

(f) The device must have separate secure areas with locking doors for the game logic board and software, the cash compartment, and the mechanical meters as required by the rules and regulations of the division. These areas must be locking and separated. Access to one from the other must not be allowed at any time.

(g) The device must use a display with images of cards that closely resemble standard poker playing cards.

(h) The device must be capable of printing a ticket voucher for the player at the completion of each game. If credits are owed the player, the ticket must contain each of the following:

(i) The name of the licensed establishment.

(ii) The name of the municipality or parish in which the licensed establishment is located.

(iii) The value of the prize in numbers.

(iv) The value of the prize in words.

(v) The time of day, in hours and minutes in a twenty-four-hour format.

(vi) The date.

(vii) The device license number or serial number up to eight digits.

(viii) The sequential number of the ticket voucher.

(ix) An encrypted validation number from which the validity of the prize can be determined.

(i) The device may have a mechanism that accepts cash in the form of bills with a denomination not to exceed twenty dollars.

(j) An exact copy of each printed ticket voucher must be printed and retained within the device, or other means of capturing and retaining an electronic copy of the ticket data as approved by the division for a minimum of five thousand tickets. If a thermal printer is used and the duplicate information is stored electronically in the device, any duplicate voucher printed by the device must have the prominent word "DUPLICATE" printed on the face of the voucher.

(k) The device must have nonresettable mechanical meters housed in a secure compartment that keep a permanent record of all of the following:

(i) Total coins accepted.

(ii) Total credits generated by the bill acceptor if the device has a bill acceptor.

(iii) Total credits played by players.

(iv) Total credits won by players.

(v) Total credits printed out by the ticket voucher printer.

(l) The device must contain electronic metering using meters that record all of the following:

(i) Total coins in the coin acceptor or acceptors and, if the device has a bill acceptor, the total credits generated by the bill acceptor.

(ii) Total credits in, total credits played, total credits won, and total credits paid.

(iii) Total hands of poker played and total hands of poker won.

(iv) Total winning hands, consisting of one pair, two pairs, three of a kind, a straight, a flush, a full house, four of a kind, a straight flush, or five of a kind or such other winning hand as allowed by rule and regulation of the division.

(v) Total errors from the logic board random access memory.

(vi) Total examination of electronic meters.

(m) The device may not have any functions or parameters adjustable by or through any separate video display or input codes, except for the adjustment of features that are wholly cosmetic.

(n) The device must issue, by activation of an external switch, an accounting ticket containing a performance synopsis of the device. The ticket must contain:

(i) The name of the licensed establishment.

(ii) The name of the city, town, or parish in which the licensed establishment is located.

(iii) The license number of the device.

(iv) The time of day, in hours and minutes in a twenty-four-hour format.

(v) The date.

(vi) The electronic meter readings required by Subparagraph (l) of this Paragraph.

(vii) A circuit-interrupting device, method, or capability which will disable the machine if the division-approved program is accessed or altered.

(o) The device must be linked by telecommunication to a central computer for purposes of polling or reading device activities and for central computer remote shutdown of device operations. However, if the central computer system fails as a result of a malfunction or catastrophic event, the device may remain in operation until the central computer system is restored.

(p) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this Paragraph when they are in conflict, multi-hand games shall be an authorized game for play when approved by an authorized device testing laboratory and the division, provided that, with respect to any video draw poker device located in Orleans Parish, no multi-hand game is or may be authorized unless it has been determined by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board that permitting such game in Orleans Parish will not violate any of the terms or provisions of Section 1.3 of the Amended and Renegotiated Casino Operating Contract entered into pursuant to R.S. 27:201 et seq., on October 30, 1998, as amended, effective October 19, 1999, March 29, 2001, and March 31, 2001. Any authorization of a multi-hand game by the division in violation of this Subparagraph shall be null and void.

B. Each video draw poker device shall have a serial number or other identification number permanently affixed to the device by the manufacturer.

C. The division may provide for additional specifications for devices to be approved and authorized pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter as it deems necessary to maintain the integrity of video draw poker devices and operations. The division shall not provide for any additional specifications which would have the effect of reducing to fewer than four the number of manufacturers who make devices that meet the specifications of this Chapter.

D.(1) The division may establish by rule criteria for the physical placement of video draw poker devices within a licensed establishment.

(2) Any establishment which allows minors to enter the area where video draw poker devices are located or operated shall separate any video draw poker devices from the sight of any minor by placing a partition of at least five feet in height between the video draw poker devices and any area where a minor may be present.

E. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, video draw poker devices in any facility licensed pursuant to this Chapter, in any parish other than Orleans, may schedule games with no minimum wager. A video draw poker device may accept coins in the amount of the minimum wager offered by that device. Video draw poker devices may accept coins or currency of denominations of multiples of the minimum wager but shall provide one game for each amount of the minimum wager deposited in that video draw poker device. The provisions of this Subsection shall not be construed to affect the limitations on the amount of money played and the limitation on the value of prizes established in R.S. 27:304.

F. Video draw poker devices in any facility licensed pursuant to this Chapter located in Orleans Parish may schedule games with such minimum wager as may be approved by the division, provided it has been determined by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board that permitting such minimum wager in Orleans Parish will not violate any of the terms or provisions of Section 1.3 of the Amended and Renegotiated Casino Operating Contract entered into pursuant to R.S. 27:201 et seq., on October 30, 1998, as amended, effective October 19, 1999, March 29, 2001, and March 31, 2001. Any change to the minimum wager in violation of this Subsection shall be null and void.

Acts 1991, No. 1062, §1, eff. July 30, 1991; Acts 1993, No. 499, §1, eff. Sept. 15, 1993; Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 13, §1, eff. July 1, 1994. Redesignated from R.S. 33:4862.2 by Acts 1996, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 7, §3, eff. May 1, 1996; Acts 2003, No. 349, §1; Acts 2003, No. 1273, §1; Acts 2003, No. 1278, §1; Acts 2003, No. 1279; Acts 2004, No. 31, §1; Acts 2005, No. 425, §1.