2023 CODE OF GEORGIA › Title 50 - STATE GOVERNMENT (§§ 50-1-1 — 50-40-84) › Chapter 27 - LOTTERY FOR EDUCATION (§§ 50-27-1 — 50-27-104) › Article 3 - COIN OPERATED AMUSEMENT MACHINES (§§ 50-27-70 — 50-27-104) › Part 1 - GENERALLY (§§ 50-27-70 — 50-27-89) › Section 50-27-71 - License fees; issuance of license; display of license; control number; duplicate certificates; application for license or renewal; penalty for noncompliance

(a)
Every manufacturer, distributor, and owner, except an owner holding a bona fide coin operated amusement machine solely for personal use or resale, who offers a bona fide coin operated amusement machine for sale to a distributor or to an owner and who offers others the opportunity to play for a charge, whether directly or indirectly, any bona fide coin operated amusement machine shall pay annual master license fees to the corporation as follows:
(1)
For Class A machines:
(A)
For five or fewer machines, the owner shall pay a master license fee of $500.00.
In the event such owner acquires a sixth or greater number of machines during a calendar year which requires a certificate for lawful operation under this article so that the total number of machines owned does not exceed 60 machines or more, such owner shall pay an additional master license fee of $1,500.00;
(B)
For six or more machines but not more than 60 machines, the owner shall pay a master license fee of $2,000.00. In the event such owner acquires a sixty-first or greater number of machines during a calendar year which requires a certificate for lawful operation under this article, such owner shall pay an additional master license fee of $1,500.00; or
(C)
For 61 or more machines, the owner shall pay a master license fee of $3,500.00;
(2)
For any number of Class B machines, the owner shall pay a master license fee of $5,000.00;
(3)
For any distributor, the distributor shall pay a distributor license fee of $5,000.00; and
(4)
For any manufacturer, the manufacturer shall pay a manufacturer license fee of $5,000.00.
The cost of the license shall be paid to the corporation by company check, cash, cashier's check, money order, or any other method approved by the chief executive officer. Upon such payment, the corporation shall issue a master license certificate to the owner. The license fees levied by this Code section shall be collected by the corporation on an annual basis, and the board may establish procedures for license collection and set due dates for these license payments. No refund or credit of the license charge levied by this Code section may be allowed to any owner who ceases the manufacture, distribution, or operation of bona fide coin operated amusement machines prior to the end of any license or permit period.
(a.1)
Every location owner or location operator shall pay an annual location license fee for each bona fide coin operated amusement machine offered to the public for play. The annual location license fee shall be $25.00 for each Class A machine and $125.00 for each Class B machine. The annual location license fee levied by this Code section shall be collected by the corporation, and the board may establish procedures for location license fee collection and set due dates for payment of such fees. The location license fee shall be paid to the corporation by company check, cash, cashier's check, money order, or any other method approved by the chief executive officer. Upon payment, the corporation shall issue a location license certificate that shall state the number of bona fide coin operated amusement machines permitted for each class without further description or identification of specific machines. No refund or credit of the location license fee shall be allowed to any location owner or location operator who ceases to offer bona fide coin operated amusement machines to the public for commercial use prior the end of any license period.
(a.2)
The corporation may refuse to issue or renew a location owner or location operator license or may revoke or suspend a location owner or location operator license issued under this article if:
(1)
The licensee or applicant has intentionally violated a provision of this chapter or a regulation promulgated under this chapter;
(2)
The licensee or applicant has intentionally failed to provide requested information or answer a question, intentionally made a false statement in or in connection with his or her application or renewal, or omitted any material or requested information;
(3)
The licensee or applicant used coercion to accomplish a purpose or to engage in conduct regulated by the corporation;
(4)
Failure to revoke or suspend the license would be contrary to the intent and purpose of this article;
(5)
The licensee or applicant has engaged in unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices as provided in Code Section
50-27-87.1
; or
(6)
Any applicant, or any person, firm, corporation, legal entity, or organization having any interest in any operation for which an application has been submitted, fails to meet any obligations imposed by the tax laws or other laws or regulations of this state.
(b)
A copy of an owner's master license and the location owner's or location operator's location license shall be prominently displayed at all locations where the owner and location owner or location operator have bona fide coin operated amusement machines available for commercial use and for play by the public to evidence the payment of the fees levied under this Code section. A manufacturer's license and distributor's license, as well as invoices for the sales of any Class B machines to any person or entity licensed by this chapter, shall be available for inspection at their places of business and upon request from the corporation.
(c)
Each manufacturer, distributor, and master license and each location license shall list the name and address of the manufacturer, distributor, owner, location owner, or location operator, as applicable.
(d)
The corporation may provide a duplicate license issued pursuant to this Code section if the original license has been lost, stolen, or destroyed. The fee for a duplicate original license is $100.00. If the original license is lost, stolen, or destroyed, a sworn, written statement must be submitted explaining the circumstances by which the license was lost, stolen, or destroyed and including the number of the lost, stolen, or destroyed license, if applicable, before a duplicate original license can be issued. A license for which a duplicate license has been issued is void.
(e)
A license or permit issued under this Code section:
(1)
Is effective for a single business entity;
(2)
Vests no property or right in the holder of the license or permit except to conduct the licensed or permitted business during the period the license or permit is in effect;
(3)
Except as provided in paragraph (5) of this subsection, is nontransferable, nonassignable by and between owners or location owners and location operators, and not subject to execution;
(4)
Expires upon the death of an individual holder of a license or permit or upon the dissolution of any other holder of a license or permit; and
(5)
As it relates to a master licensee, upon the sale of a master licensee's business in its entirety, the buyer shall pay to the corporation a transfer fee for the master license that accompanies the business in the following amounts:
(A)
For the first sale of a master licensee's business, a transfer fee for the master license in the amount of $10,000.00;
(B)
For the second sale of such business, a transfer fee for the master license in the amount of $25,000.00;
(C)
For the third sale of such business, a transfer fee for the master license in the amount of $50,000.00; and
(D)
For the fourth sale of such business and each sale thereafter, a transfer fee for the master license in an amount to be established by the corporation, which transfer fee shall be not less than $50,000.00.
(f)
An application for the renewal of a license or permit must be made to the corporation in accordance with the due dates set forth in the rules promulgated by the board each year.
(g)
Acceptance of a license or permit issued under this Code section constitutes consent by the licensee and the location owner or location operator of the business where bona fide coin operated amusement machines are available for commercial use and for play by the public that the corporation's agents may freely enter the business premises where the licensed and permitted machines are located during normal business hours for the purpose of ensuring compliance with this article.
(h)
An application for a license or permit to do business under this article shall contain a complete statement regarding the ownership of the business to be licensed or the business where the permitted machines are to be located. This statement of ownership shall specify the same information that is required by the application to secure a sales tax number for the State of Georgia.
(i)
An application for a master license shall be accompanied by either the annual or semiannual fee plus the required permit fee due for each machine. Additional per machine permits can be purchased during the year if needed by the owner. An application for a location license shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee.
(j)
An application is subject to public inspection.
(k)
A renewal application filed on or after the due dates set forth in the rules promulgated by the board, but before the license expires, shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable late fee of $1,000.00; provided, however, that the nonrefundable late fee for Class A master and location licenses shall be $100.00. A manufacturer, distributor, or master license or location license that has been expired for more than 90 days may not be renewed. In such a case, the manufacturer, distributor, master licensee, or location license owner shall obtain a new license, as applicable, by complying with the requirements and procedures for obtaining an original license.
(l)
A holder of a license who properly completes the application and remits all fees with it by the due date may continue to manufacture, distribute, or operate bona fide coin operated amusement machines after the expiration date if its license or permit renewal has not been issued, unless the holder of the license is notified by the corporation prior to the expiration date of a problem with the renewal.
(m)
Holders of manufacturer, distributor, and location licenses and temporary location permits shall be subject to the same provisions of this article with regard to refunds, license renewals, license suspensions, and license revocations as are master licensees.
(n)
Failure to obtain a license as required by this Code section shall subject the person to a fine of up to $25,000.00 and repayment of all fees or receipts due to the corporation pursuant to this article and may subject the person to a loss of all state licenses.
(o)
(1)
Any license issued pursuant to this Code section shall be for a period of one, two, or three years at the option of the applicant or licensee at the time of issuance or renewal. The license fee for multiyear licenses shall be determined based on the annual license fees set forth in this Code section multiplied by the number of years for which the license is issued. Any refund of a license fee sought pursuant to Code Section
50-27-72
shall be prorated.
(2)
A licensee shall report to the corporation any material change in the information requested by the corporation as a part of the application for or renewal of a license under this Code section and pay any additional fees associated with such change.
Amended by 2024 Ga. Laws 586,§ 4, eff. 5/6/2024.
Amended by 2015 Ga. Laws 18,§ 2, eff. 4/8/2015.
Renumbered from §
48-17-2
and amended by 2013 Ga. Laws 15,§ 1-1, eff. 4/10/2013.