Source: https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/bills_127th/billtexts/SP004101.asp
Timestamp: 2020-08-04 22:30:26
Document Index: 32506764

Matched Legal Cases: ['§20006', '§1', '§24', '§1016', '§1', '§15', '§1020', '§2', '§24']

SP0041, LD 104, item 1, An Act To Increase Gaming Opportunities for Charitable Veterans' Organizations
LD 104 Session - 127th Maine Legislature
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §20006-B, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. AA, §24, is further amended to read:
C. Has owned, rented or leased for a minimum of 2 consecutive years the premises that serve as the primary location of the organization's administrative operations, and the premises are located in a municipality in which the voters have approved in a referendum election the operation of slot machines by a charitable nonprofit veterans' organization.
A. An eligible organization shall submit an application demonstrating that it is a charitable nonprofit veterans' organization eligible for a license to operate slot machines. A refundable administrative deposit of $2,500 must accompany the application. The eligible organization must:
(2) Demonstrate that the premises on which the slot machines will be operated have been owned, rented or leased for at least 2 consecutive years, serve as the primary location of the organization's administrative operations and are located in a municipality in which the voters have approved in a referendum election the operation of slot machines by a charitable nonprofit veterans' organization;
B. The board may not issue a license to an eligible organization unless that eligible organization demonstrates compliance with the qualifications and requirements of sections 1016 and 1019 and demonstrates that there is no electronic video machine, as defined by Title 17, section 1831, subsection 4, or similar machine on the premises where the slot machines will be operated. As used in this paragraph, "electronic video machine" and "similar machine" do not include a machine that dispenses preprinted lucky seven or similar sealed tickets that the eligible organization is licensed to sell under Title 17, chapter 62.
4. Requirement for license; agreement with municipality where slot machines are located. A Except for a slot machine operator that is an eligible organization, a slot machine operator shall enter into an agreement with the municipality where the slot machine operator's slot machines are located that provides for revenue sharing or other compensation, including, but not limited to, a provision requiring the preparation, in conjunction with the municipality, of a security plan for the premises on which the slot machines are located. The revenue-sharing agreement must provide for a minimum payment to the municipality of 3% of the net slot machine income derived from the machines located in the municipality.
Sec. 5. 8 MRSA §1016, sub-§1, ¶D, as amended by PL 2013, c. 212, §15, is further amended to read:
Sec. 12. 8 MRSA §1020, sub-§2, ¶G, as amended by PL 2013, c. 212, §24, is further amended to read:
This bill permits the Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Board, beginning January 1, 2016, to issue a license to a charitable nonprofit organization that is a veterans' organization that is tax-exempt under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to operate up to 3 slot machines on premises that have been owned, rented or leased by the organization for at least 2 consecutive years, that serve as its primary administrative operations headquarters and that are located in a municipality that has, by referendum of the voters, approved the operation of slot machines in that municipality. The charitable nonprofit veterans' organization must be able to demonstrate that it has a cash reserve of $1,000 for each machine the organization intends to operate.
A charitable nonprofit veterans' organization that wishes to apply prior to January 1, 2016 may file a declaration of intent to apply with the Gambling Control Board. An application must include a refundable $2,500 deposit. The initial application fee for a slot machine operator license is $500, and the annual renewal fee is $175.
A slot machine operated by a charitable nonprofit veterans' organization is subject to the same central site monitoring that applies to casinos and slot machine facilities at harness racing tracks. The total number of slot machines allowed to be operated by charitable nonprofit veterans' organizations statewide between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016 is 80; beginning January 1, 2017 the number increases to 150.
The bill provides that 10% of the net slot machine income from a charitable nonprofit veterans' organization is required to be deposited directly with the Gambling Control Board for administrative expenses; 8% goes directly to the General Fund; 10% goes to the host municipality; and 2% is dedicated to gambling addiction prevention and treatment. A charitable nonprofit veterans’ organization that is licensed to operate slot machines is required to establish a separate account, from which the board may withdraw funds to distribute the net revenue percentages. The remaining revenue generated from the slot machines must be used to support the charitable purposes of the veterans' organization.