2019 US Virgin Islands Code
Title 32 - Sports and Parks
Chapter 21 - Virgin Islands Casino and Resort Control Act of 1995
Article VII - Conditions of Operations
§ 456. Games and gaming equipment
(a) This chapter shall not be construed to permit any gaming except the conduct of authorized games in a casino room or in a simulcasting facility in accordance with this chapter and the regulations promulgated hereunder. The Commission shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the types of games to be played in hotel casinos or the horse racetrack casino. Nothing in this chapter shall limit the Commission's jurisdiction over the addition of alternative means of gambling, such as off-track betting or simulcasting, but not limited thereto.
(b) Gaming equipment shall not be possessed, maintained or exhibited by any person on the premises of a hotel casino or horse racetrack casino complex except in the casino room, in the simulcasting facility, or in restricted casino areas used for the inspection, repair or storage of such equipment and specifically designated for that purpose by the casino licensee with the approval of the Commission. Gaming equipment which supports the conduct of gaming in the casino or simulcasting facility but does not permit or require patron access, such as computers, may be possessed and maintained by a casino licensee in restricted casino areas specifically designated for that purpose by the casino licensee with the approval of the Commission. No gaming equipment shall be possessed, maintained, exhibited, brought into or removed from a casino room or simulcasting facility by any person unless such equipment is necessary to the conduct of an authorized game, has permanently affixed, imprinted, impressed or engraved thereon an identification number or symbol authorized by the Commission, is under the exclusive control of a casino licensee or his employees, and is brought into or removed from the casino room or simulcasting facility at times authorized for that purpose by the Commission or at other times when prior notice has been given to and written approval granted by an authorized agent of the Commission.
- Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person may, with the prior approval of the Commission and under such terms and conditions as may be required by the Commission, possess, maintain or exhibit gaming equipment in any other area of the casino complex; provided such equipment is used for non-gaming purposes.
(c) Each hotel casino or horse racetrack casino shall contain a count room and such other secure facilities as may be required by the Commission for the counting and storage of cash, coins, tokens and checks received in the conduct of gaming and for the inspection, counting and storage of dice, cards, chips and other representatives of value. All drop boxes and other devices wherein cash, coins, or tokens are deposited at the gaming tables or in slot machines, and all areas wherein such boxes and devices are kept while in use, shall be equipped with two locking devices, one key to which shall be under the exclusive control of the Commission and the other under the exclusive control of the casino licensee, and said drop boxes and other devices shall not be brought into or removed from the casino room or simulcasting facility, or locked or unlocked, except at such times, in such places, and according to such procedures as the Commission may require.
(d) All chips used in gaming at all casinos shall be of such size and uniform color by denomination as the Commission shall require by regulation.
(e) All gaming shall be conducted according to rules promulgated by the Commission. All wagers and pay-offs of winning wagers shall be made according to rules promulgated by the Commission, which shall establish such limitations as may be necessary to assure the vitality of casino operations and fair odds to and maximum participation by casino patrons; provided, however, that a licensee may establish a higher minimum wager with the prior approval of the Commission. Each slot machine shall have a minimum payout of 83%.
(f) Each casino licensee shall make available in printed form to any casino patron upon request the complete text of the rules of the Commission regarding games and the conduct of gaming, pay-offs of winning wagers, an approximation of the odds of winning for each wager, and such other advice to player as the Commission shall require. Each casino licensee shall prominently post within the casino room and simulcasting facility, as appropriate according to regulations of the Commission, such information about gaming rules, pay-offs of winning wagers, the odds of winning for each wager, and such other advice to the player as the Commission shall require.
(g) Each gaming table shall be equipped with a sign indicating the permissible minimum and maximum wagers pertaining thereto. It shall be unlawful for a casino licensee to require any wager to be greater than the stated minimum or less than the stated maximum; provided, however, that any wager actually made by a patron and not rejected by a casino licensee prior to the commencement of play shall be treated as a valid wager.
(h)
(1) No slot machine shall be used to conduct gaming unless it is identical in all electrical, mechanical and other aspects to a model thereof which has been specifically tested by the Division or the Division's duly authorized agent and licensed for use by the Commission. The Commission shall, by regulation, establish such technical standards for licensure, including mechanical and electrical reliability, security against tampering, the comprehensibility of wagering, and noise and light levels, as it may deem necessary to protect the player from fraud or deception and to insure the integrity of gaming. The denominations of such machines shall be set the licensee, subject to the prior approval of the Commission.
(2) The Commission shall, by regulation determine the permissible number and density of slot machines in a licensed casino so as to:
(a) promote optimum security for casino operations;
(b) avoid deception or frequent distraction to players at gaming tables;
(c) promote the comfort of patrons;
(d) create and maintain a gracious playing environment in the casino; and
(e) encourage and preserve competition in casino operations by assuring that a variety of gaming opportunities is offered to the public.
(i)
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to exchange or redeem chips for anything whatsoever, except currency, negotiable personal checks, negotiable counter checks, other chips, coupons or similar complimentary vouchers distributed pursuant to a program approved by the Commission or maintained pursuant to Commission regulation, or if authorized by regulation of the Commission a valid charge to a credit card account. A casino licensee shall upon the request of any person, redeem that licensee's gaming chips surrendered by that person in any amount over $25.00 with a check drawn upon the licensee's account at any banking institution in the Virgin Islands and made payable to that person.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any casino licensee or its agents or employees to employ, contract with, or use any shill or barker to induce any person to enter a casino or simulcasting facility or play at any game or for any purpose whatsoever.
(j) It shall be unlawful for a dealer in any authorized game in which cards are dealt to deal cards by hand or other than from a device specifically designed for that purpose.
(k) It shall be unlawful for any casino key employee, other than a junket representative, or any person who is required to hold a casino key employee license as a condition of employment or qualification to wager in any casino, or simulcasting facility or any casino employee, other than a bartender, waiter, waitress, or other casino employee who, in the judgment of the Commission, is not directly involved with the conduct of gaming operations, to wager in the casino or simulcasting facility in which the employee is employed or in any other casino which is owned or operated by the same casino licensee. Any casino employee, other than a bartender, waiter, waitress, or other casino employee who, in the judgment of the Commission, is not directly involved with the conduct of gaming operations, must wait at least 30 days following the date that the employee either leaves employment with a casino licensee or is terminated from employment with a casino licensee before the employee may wager or play in the casino or simulcasting facility in which the employee was formerly employed or in any other casino or simulcasting facility on St. Croix which is owned or operated by the same casino licensee.
(l)
(1) It shall be unlawful for any casino key employee or boxman, floorman, or any other casino employee who shall serve in a supervisory position to solicit or accept, and for any other casino employee to solicit, any tip or gratuity from any player or patron at the casino where he is employed.
(2) A dealer may accept tips or gratuities from a patron at the table at which such dealer is conducting play, subject to the provisions of this subsection. All such tips or gratuities shall be immediately deposited in a lockbox reserved for that purpose, accounted for, and placed in a pool for distribution pro rata among the dealers on a weekly basis, with the distribution based upon the number of hours each dealer has worked.
