Source: https://ecfr.io/Title-25/pt25.2.547
Timestamp: 2020-01-28 14:36:27
Document Index: 699157878

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 547', 'art 547', 'art 547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§533', '§537', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547', '§547']

[25 CFR 547] Title 25 Part 547 : Code of Federal Regulations ';
Title 25 Part 547
Title 25 → Chapter III → Subchapter D → Part 547
§547.1 What is the purpose of this part?
§547.3 Who is responsible for implementing these standards?
§547.4 What are the rules of general application for this part?
§547.5 How does a tribal government, TGRA, or tribal gaming operation comply with this part?
§547.6 What are the minimum technical standards for enrolling and enabling Class II gaming system components?
§547.8 What are the minimum technical software standards applicable to Class II gaming systems?
§547.10 What are the minimum standards for Class II gaming system critical events?
§547.11 What are the minimum technical standards for money and credit handling?
§547.12 What are the minimum technical standards for downloading on a Class II gaming system?
§547.13 What are the minimum technical standards for program storage media?
§547.14 What are the minimum technical standards for electronic random number generation?
§547.16 What are the minimum standards for game artwork, glass, and rules?
§547.17 How does a TGRA apply to implement an alternate minimum standard to those required by this part?
Source: 77 FR 58479, Sept. 21, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
(a) Minimum standards. These are minimum standards and a TGRA may establish and implement additional technical standards that do not conflict with the standards set out in this part.
(b) No limitation of technology. This part should not be interpreted to limit the use of technology or to preclude the use of technology not specifically referenced.
(c) Only applicable standards apply. Gaming equipment and software must meet all applicable requirements of this part. For example, if a Class II gaming system lacks the ability to print or accept vouchers, then any standards that govern vouchers do not apply. These standards do not apply to associated equipment such as voucher and kiosk systems.
(d) State jurisdiction. Nothing in this part should be construed to grant to a state jurisdiction over Class II gaming or to extend a state's jurisdiction over Class III gaming.
(a) Fairness. No Class II gaming system may cheat or mislead users. All prizes advertised must be available to win during the game. A test laboratory must calculate and/or verify the mathematical expectations of game play, where applicable, in accordance with the manufacturer stated submission. The results must be included in the test laboratory's report to the TGRA. At the request of the TGRA, the manufacturer must also submit the mathematical expectations of the game play to the TGRA.
(b) Approved gaming equipment and software only. All gaming equipment and software used with Class II gaming systems must be identical in all respects to a prototype reviewed and tested by a testing laboratory and approved for use by the TGRA pursuant to §547.5(a) through (c).
(c) Proper functioning. All gaming equipment and software used with Class II gaming systems must perform according to the manufacturer's design and operating specifications.
(i) The Class II gaming system software that affects the play of the Class II game, together with the signature verification required by §547.8(f) was submitted to a testing laboratory within 120 days after November 10, 2008, or October 22, 2012;
(ii) The testing laboratory tested the submission to the standards established by §§547.8(b), 547.8(f), and 547.14;
(iv) The TGRA made a finding, in the form of a certificate provided to the supplier or manufacturer of the Class II gaming system, that the Class II gaming system is compliant with §§547.8(b), 547.8(f), and 547.14;
(vii) Player interfaces of the Class II gaming system exhibit information consistent with §547.7(d) and any other information required by the TGRA.
(iv) The testing laboratory's written report confirms that the operation of a player interface prototype has been certified that it will not be compromised or affected by electrostatic discharge, liquid spills, electromagnetic interference, or any other tests required by the TGRA;
(iii) Immediately provide the TGRA with a software signature verification tool meeting the requirements of §547.8(f) for any new or modified software component.
(A) Makes a suitability determination of the testing laboratory based upon standards no less stringent than those set out in §533.6(b)(1)(ii) through (v) of this chapter and based upon no less information than that required by §537.1 of this chapter, or
(g) Records. Records required to be maintained under this section must be made available to the Commission upon request. The Commission may use the information derived therefrom for any lawful purpose including, without limitation, to monitor the use of Class II gaming systems, to assess the effectiveness of the standards required by this part, and to inform future amendments to this part. The Commission will only make available for public review records or portions of records subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552; the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a; or the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, 25 U.S.C. 2716(a).
[82 FR 61175, Dec. 27, 2017]
(a) General requirements. Class II gaming systems must provide a method to:
(1) Enroll and unenroll Class II gaming system components;
(2) Enable and disable specific Class II gaming system components.
(b) Specific requirements. Class II gaming systems must:
(1) Ensure that only enrolled and enabled Class II gaming system components participate in gaming; and
(2) Ensure that the default condition for components must be unenrolled and disabled.
(a) Player interface displays. (1) If not otherwise provided to the player, the player interface must display the following:
(i) The purchase or wager amount;
(ii) Game results; and
(iii) Any player credit balance.
(2) Between plays of any game and until the start of the next play, or until the player selects a new game option such as purchase or wager amount or card selection, whichever is earlier, if not otherwise provided to the player, the player interface must display:
(i) The total purchase or wager amount and all prizes and total credits won for the last game played;
(ii) The final results for the last game played; and
(iii) Any default purchase or wager amount for the next play.
(b) Game initiation and play. (1) Each game played on the Class II gaming system must follow and not deviate from a constant set of rules for each game provided to players pursuant to §547.16. There must be no undisclosed changes of rules.
(2) The Class II gaming system may not alter or allow to be altered the card permutations used for play of a Class II game unless specifically chosen by the player prior to commitment to participate in the game. No duplicate cards may be sold for any common draw.
(3) No game play may commence, and no financial instrument or credit may be accepted on the affected player interface, in the presence of any fault condition that affects the outcome of the game, or while in test, audit, or lock-up mode.
(4) Each player must initiate his or her participation in the play of a game.
(c) Audit mode. (1) If an audit mode is provided, the Class II gaming system must, for those components actively involved in the audit:
(i) Provide all accounting functions required by §547.9, by applicable provisions of any Commission regulations governing minimum internal control standards, and by any internal controls adopted by the tribe or TGRA;
(ii) Display player interface identification; and
(iii) Display software version or game identification.
(2) Audit mode must be accessible by a secure method such as an agent PIN, key, or other auditable access control.
(3) Accounting function data must be accessible by an agent at any time, except during a payout, during a handpay, or during play.
(4) The Class II gaming system must disable financial instrument acceptance on the affected player interface while in audit mode, except during financial instrument acceptance testing.
(d) Last game recall. The last game recall function must:
(1) Be retrievable at all times, other than when the recall component is involved in the play of a game, upon the operation of an external key-switch, entry of an audit card, or a similar method;
(2) Display the results of recalled games as originally displayed or in text representation so as to enable the TGRA or operator to clearly identify the sequences and results that occurred;
(3) Allow the Class II gaming system component providing game recall, upon return to normal game play mode, to restore any affected display to the positions, forms and values displayed before access to the game recall information; and
(4) Provide the following information for the current and previous four games played and must display:
(i) Play start time, end time, and date;
(ii) The total number of credits at the start of play;
(iii) The purchase or wager amount;
(iv) The total number of credits at the end of play;
(v) The total number of credits won as a result of the game recalled, and the value in dollars and cents for progressive prizes, if different;
(vi) For bingo games and games similar to bingo, also display:
(A) The card(s) used by the player;
(B) The identifier of the bingo game played;
(C) The numbers or other designations drawn, in the order that they were drawn;
(D) The numbers or other designations and prize patterns covered on each card;
(E) All prizes won by the player, including winning patterns, if any; and
(F) The unique identifier of the card on which prizes were won;
(vii) For pull-tab games only, also display:
(A) The result(s) of each pull-tab, displayed in the same pattern as on the tangible pull-tab;
(B) All prizes won by the player;
(C) The unique identifier of each pull tab; and
(D) Any other information necessary to fully reconstruct the current and four previous plays.
(e) Voucher and credit transfer recall. Notwithstanding the requirements of any other section in this part, a Class II gaming system must have the capacity to:
(1) Display the information specified in §547.11(b)(5)(ii) through (vi) for the last five vouchers or coupons printed and the last five vouchers or coupons accepted; and
(2) Display a complete transaction history for the last five cashless transactions made and the last five cashless transactions accepted.
(f) Software signature verification. The manufacturer or developer of the Class II gaming system must provide to the testing laboratory and to the TGRA an industry-standard methodology, acceptable to the TGRA, for verifying the Class II gaming system game software. For example, for game software stored on rewritable media, such methodologies include signature algorithms and hashing formulas such as SHA-1.
(g) Test, diagnostic, and demonstration modes. If test, diagnostic, and/or demonstration modes are provided, the Class II gaming system must, for those components actively involved in the test, diagnostic, or demonstration mode:
(1) Clearly indicate when that component is in the test, diagnostic, or demonstration mode;
(2) Not alter financial data on that component other than temporary data;
(3) Only be available after entering a specific mode;
(4) Disable credit acceptance and payment unless credit acceptance or payment is being tested; and
(5) Terminate all mode-specific functions upon exiting a mode.
(h) Multigame. If multiple games are offered for player selection at the player interface, the player interface must:
(1) Provide a display of available games;
(2) Provide the means of selecting among them;
(3) Display the full amount of the player's credit balance;
(4) Identify the game selected or being played; and
(5) Not force the play of a game after its selection.
(i) Program interruption and resumption. The Class II gaming system software must be designed so that upon resumption following any interruption, the system:
(1) Is able to return to a known state;
(2) Must check for any fault condition;
(3) Must verify the integrity of data stored in critical memory;
(4) Must return the purchase or wager amount to the player in accordance with the rules of the game; and
(5) Must detect any change or corruption in the Class II gaming system software.
(j) Class II gaming system components acting as progressive controllers. This paragraph applies to progressive controllers and components acting as progressive controllers in Class II gaming systems.
(1) Modification of progressive parameters must be conducted in a secure manner approved by the TGRA. Such parameters may include:
(i) Increment value;
(ii) Secondary pool increment(s);
(iii) Reset amount(s);
(iv) Maximum value(s); and
(v) Identity of participating player interfaces.
(2) The Class II gaming system component or other progressive controller must provide a means of creating a progressive balancing report for each progressive link it controls. At a minimum, that report must provide balancing of the changes of the progressive amount, including progressive prizes won, for all participating player interfaces versus current progressive amount(s), plus progressive prizes. In addition, the report must account for, and not be made inaccurate by, unusual events such as:
(i) Class II gaming system critical memory clears;
(ii) Modification, alteration, or deletion of progressive prizes;
(iii) Offline equipment; or
(iv) Multiple site progressive prizes.
(k) Critical memory. (1) Critical memory may be located anywhere within the Class II gaming system. Critical memory is any memory that maintains any of the following data:
(i) Accounting data;
(ii) Current credits;
(iii) Configuration data;
(iv) Last game play recall information required by paragraph (d) of this section;
(v) Game play recall information for the current game play, if incomplete;
(vi) Software state (the last normal state software was in before interruption);
(vii) RNG seed(s), if necessary for maintaining integrity;
(viii) Encryption keys, if necessary for maintaining integrity;
(ix) Progressive prize parameters and current values;
(x) The five most recent financial instruments accepted by type, excluding coins and tokens;
(xi) The five most recent financial instruments dispensed by type, excluding coins and tokens; and
(xii) The five most recent cashless transactions paid and the five most recent cashless transactions accepted.
(2) Critical memory must be maintained using a methodology that enables errors to be identified and acted upon. All accounting and recall functions must be verified as necessary to ensure their ongoing integrity.
(3) The validity of affected data stored in critical memory must be checked after each of the following events:
(i) Every restart;
(ii) Each attendant paid win;
(iii) Each attendant paid progressive win;
(iv) Each sensored door closure; and
(v) Every reconfiguration, download, or change of prize schedule or denomination requiring operator intervention or action.
(l) Secured access. Class II gaming systems that use a logon or other means of secured access must include a user account lockout after a predetermined number of consecutive failed attempts to access the Class II gaming system.
(a) Fault events. (1) The following are fault events that must be capable of being recorded by the Class II gaming system:
Definition and action to be taken
(i) Component fault Reported when a fault on a component is detected. When possible, this event message should indicate what the nature of the fault is.
(ii) Financial storage component full Reported when a financial instrument acceptor or dispenser includes storage, and it becomes full. This event message must indicate what financial storage component is full.
(iii) Financial output component empty Reported when a financial instrument dispenser is empty. The event message must indicate which financial output component is affected, and whether it is empty.
(iv) Financial component fault Reported when an occurrence on a financial component results in a known fault state.
(v) Critical memory error Some critical memory error has occurred. When a non-correctable critical memory error has occurred, the data on the Class II gaming system component can no longer be considered reliable. Accordingly, any game play on the affected component must cease immediately, and an appropriate message must be displayed, if possible.
(vi) Progressive communication fault If applicable; when communications with a progressive controller component is in a known fault state.
(vii) Program storage medium fault The software has failed its own internal security check or the medium itself has some fault. Any game play on the affected component must cease immediately, and an appropriate message must be displayed, if possible.
(2) The occurrence of any event identified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section must be recorded.
(3) Upon clearing any event identified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the Class II gaming system must:
(i) Record that the fault condition has been cleared;
(ii) Ensure the integrity of all related accounting data; and
(iii) In the case of a malfunction, return a player's purchase or wager according to the rules of the game.
(b) Door open/close events. (1) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the Class II gaming system must perform the following for any component affected by any sensored door open event:
(i) Indicate that the state of a sensored door changes from closed to open or opened to closed;
(ii) Disable all financial instrument acceptance, unless a test mode is entered;
(iii) Disable game play on the affected player interface;
(iv) Disable player inputs on the affected player interface, unless test mode is entered; and
(v) Disable all financial instrument disbursement, unless a test mode is entered.
(2) The Class II gaming system may return the component to a ready to play state when all sensored doors are closed.
(c) Non-fault events. The following non-fault events are to be acted upon as described below, if applicable:
(1) Player interface off during play Indicates power has been lost during game play. This condition must be reported by the affected component(s).
(2) Player interface power on Indicates the player interface has been turned on. This condition must be reported by the affected component(s).
(3) Financial instrument storage component container/stacker removed Indicates that a financial instrument storage container has been removed. The event message must indicate which storage container was removed.
(a) Credit acceptance, generally. (1) Upon any credit acceptance, the Class II gaming system must register the correct number of credits on the player's credit balance.
(2) The Class II gaming system must reject financial instruments deemed invalid.
(b) Credit redemption, generally. (1) For cashable credits on a player interface, players must be allowed to cash out and/or redeem those credits at the player interface except when that player interface is:
(i) Involved in the play of a game;
(ii) In audit mode, recall mode or any test mode;
(iii) Detecting any sensored door open condition;
(iv) Updating the player credit balance or total win accounting data; or
(v) Displaying a fault condition that would prevent cash-out or credit redemption. In this case a fault indication must be displayed.
(2) For cashable credits not on a player interface, the player must be allowed to cash out and/or redeem those credits at any time.
(3) A Class II gaming system must not automatically pay an award subject to mandatory tax reporting or withholding.
(4) Credit redemption by voucher or coupon must conform to the following:
(i) A Class II gaming system may redeem credits by issuing a voucher or coupon when it communicates with a voucher system that validates the voucher or coupon.
(ii) A Class II gaming system that redeems credits by issuing vouchers and coupons must either:
(A) Maintain an electronic record of all information required by paragraphs (b)(5)(ii) through (vi) of this section; or
(B) Generate two identical copies of each voucher or coupon issued, one to be provided to the player and the other to be retained within the electronic player interface for audit purposes.
(5) Valid vouchers and coupons from a voucher system must contain the following:
(i) Tribal gaming operation name and location;
(ii) The identification number of the Class II gaming system component or the player interface number, as applicable;
(iii) Date and time of issuance;
(iv) Alpha and numeric dollar amount;
(v) A sequence number;
(vi) A validation number that:
(A) Is produced by a means specifically designed to prevent repetition of validation numbers; and
(B) Has some form of checkcode or other form of information redundancy to prevent prediction of subsequent validation numbers without knowledge of the checkcode algorithm and parameters;
(vii) For machine-readable vouchers and coupons, a bar code or other form of machine readable representation of the validation number, which must have enough redundancy and error checking to ensure that 99.9% of all misreads are flagged as errors;
(viii) Transaction type or other method of differentiating voucher and coupon types; and
(ix) Expiration period or date.
(6) Transfers from an account may not exceed the balance of that account.
(7) For Class II gaming systems not using dollars and cents accounting and not having odd cents accounting, the Class II gaming system must reject any transfers from voucher systems or cashless systems that are not even multiples of the Class II gaming system denomination.
(8) Voucher systems must include the ability to report redemptions per redemption location or user.
(a) Downloads. (1) Downloads are an acceptable means of transporting approved content, including, but not limited to software, files, data, and prize schedules.
(2) Downloads must use secure methodologies that will deliver the download data without alteration or modification, in accordance with §547.15(a).
(3) Downloads conducted during operational periods must be performed in a manner that will not affect game play.
(4) Downloads must not affect the integrity of accounting data.
(5) The Class II gaming system must be capable of providing:
(i) The time and date of the initiation of the download;
(ii) The time and date of the completion of the download;
(iii) The Class II gaming system components to which software was downloaded;
(iv) The version(s) of download package and any software downloaded. Logging of the unique software signature will satisfy this requirement;
(v) The outcome of any software verification following the download (success or failure); and
(vi) The name and identification number, or other unique identifier, of any individual(s) conducting or scheduling a download.
(b) Verifying downloads. Downloaded software on a Class II gaming system must be capable of being verified by the Class II gaming system using a software signature verification method that meets the requirements of §547.8(f).
(a) Removable program storage media. All removable program storage media must maintain an internal checksum or signature of its contents. Verification of this checksum or signature is to be performed after every restart. If the verification fails, the affected Class II gaming system component(s) must lock up and enter a fault state.
(b) Nonrewritable program storage media. (1) All EPROMs and Programmable Logic Devices that have erasure windows must be fitted with covers over their erasure windows.
(2) All unused areas of EPROMs must be written with the inverse of the erased state (zero bits (00 hex) for most EPROMs), random data, or repeats of the program data.
(3) Flash memory storage components intended to have the same logical function as ROM, must be write-protected or otherwise protected from unauthorized modification.
(4) The write cycle must be closed or finished for all CD-ROMs such that it is not possible to write any further data to the CD.
(5) Write protected hard disks are permitted if the hardware means of enabling the write protect is easily viewable and can be sealed in place. Write protected hard disks are permitted using software write protection verifiable by a testing laboratory.
(c) Writable and rewritable program storage media. (1) Writable and rewritable program storage, such as hard disk drives, Flash memory, writable CD-ROMs, and writable DVDs, may be used provided that the software stored thereon may be verified using the mechanism provided pursuant to §547.8(f).
(2) Program storage must be structured so there is a verifiable separation of fixed data (such as program, fixed parameters, DLLs) and variable data.
(d) Identification of program storage media. All program storage media that is not rewritable in circuit, (EPROM, CD-ROM) must be uniquely identified, displaying:
(2) Program identifier;
(3) Program version number(s); and
(4) Location information, if critical (socket position 3 on the printed circuit board).
(a) Properties. All RNGs must produce output having the following properties:
(1) Statistical randomness;
(2) Unpredictability; and
(3) Non-repeatability.
(b) Statistical randomness. (1) Numbers or other designations produced by an RNG must be statistically random individually and in the permutations and combinations used in the application under the rules of the game. For example, if a bingo game with 75 objects with numbers or other designations has a progressive winning pattern of the five numbers or other designations on the bottom of the card, and the winning of this prize is defined to be the five numbers or other designations that are matched in the first five objects drawn, the likelihood of each of the 75C5 combinations are to be verified to be statistically equal.
(2) Numbers or other designations produced by an RNG must pass the statistical tests for randomness to a 99% confidence level, which may include:
(i) Chi-square test;
(ii) Runs test (patterns of occurrences must not be recurrent); and
(iii) Serial correlation test potency and degree of serial correlation (outcomes must be independent from the previous game).
(iv) Equi-distribution (frequency) test;
(v) Gap test;
(vi) Poker test;
(vii) Coupon collector's test;
(viii) Permutation test;
(ix) Spectral test; or
(x) Test on subsequences.
(c) Unpredictability. (1) It must not be feasible to predict future outputs of an RNG, even if the algorithm and the past sequence of outputs are known.
(2) Unpredictability must be ensured by reseeding or by continuously cycling the RNG, and by providing a sufficient number of RNG states for the applications supported.
(3) Re-seeding may be used where the re-seeding input is at least as statistically random as, and independent of, the output of the RNG being re-seeded.
(d) Non-repeatability. The RNG may not be initialized to reproduce the same output stream that it has produced before, nor may any two instances of an RNG produce the same stream as each other. This property must be ensured by initial seeding that comes from:
(1) A source of “true” randomness, such as a hardware random noise generator; or
(2) A combination of timestamps, parameters unique to a Class II gaming system, previous RNG outputs, or other, similar method.
(e) General requirements. (1) Software that calls an RNG to derive game outcome events must immediately use the output returned in accordance with the game rules.
(2) The use of multiple RNGs is permitted as long as they operate in accordance with this section.
(3) RNG outputs must not be arbitrarily discarded or selected.
(4) Where a sequence of outputs is required, the whole of the sequence in the order generated must be used in accordance with the game rules.
(5) The Class II gaming system must neither adjust the RNG process or game outcomes based on the history of prizes obtained in previous games nor use any reflexive software or secondary decision that affects the results shown to the player or game outcome.
(f) Scaling algorithms and scaled numbers. An RNG that provides output scaled to given ranges must:
(1) Be independent and uniform over the range;
(2) Provide numbers scaled to the ranges required by game rules, and notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph (e)(3) of this section, may discard numbers that do not map uniformly onto the required range but must use the first number in sequence that does map correctly to the range;
(3) Be capable of producing every possible outcome of a game according to its rules; and
(4) Use an unbiased algorithm. A scaling algorithm is considered to be unbiased if the measured bias is no greater than 1 in 50 million.
(a) Rules, instructions, and prize schedules, generally. The following must at all times be displayed or made readily available to the player upon request:
(1) Game name, rules, and options such as the purchase or wager amount stated clearly and unambiguously;
(2) Denomination;
(3) Instructions for play on, and use of, the player interface, including the functions of all buttons; and
(4) A prize schedule or other explanation, sufficient to allow a player to determine the correctness of all prizes awarded, including:
(i) The range and values obtainable for any variable prize;
(ii) Whether the value of a prize depends on the purchase or wager amount; and
(iii) The means of division of any pari-mutuel prizes; but
(iv) For Class II Gaming Systems, the prize schedule or other explanation need not state that subsets of winning patterns are not awarded as additional prizes (for example, five in a row does not also pay three in a row or four in a row), unless there are exceptions, which must be clearly stated.
(b) Disclaimers. The Player Interface must continually display:
(1) “Malfunctions void all prizes and plays” or equivalent; and
(2) “Actual Prizes Determined by Bingo (or other applicable Class II game) Play. Other Displays for Entertainment Only” or equivalent.
(c) Odds notification. If the odds of winning any advertised top prize exceeds 100 million to one, the Player Interface must display: “Odds of winning the advertised top prize exceeds 100 million to one” or equivalent.
(ii) The alternate standard as approved and the record on which the approval is based.
(3) In the event that the TGRA or the tribe's government chooses to submit an alternate standard request directly to the Chair for joint government to government review, the TGRA or tribal government may do so without the approval requirement set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
(3) If the Chair objects to the alternate standard, the operation may no longer use the alternate standard and must follow the relevant technical standard set forth in this part.
(4) Any objection by the Chair must be in written form with an explanation why the alternate standard as approved by the TGRA does not provide a level of security or integrity sufficient to accomplish the purpose of the standard it is to replace.