2023 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes › Title 4 - AMUSEMENTS › Chapter 15 - Administration and Enforcement › Section 1518 - Prohibited acts; penalties

§ 1518. Prohibited acts; penalties.
(a) Criminal offenses.--
(1) The provisions of 18 Pa.C.S. § 4902 (relating to perjury), 4903 (relating to false swearing) or 4904 (relating to unsworn falsification to authorities) shall apply to any person providing information or making any statement, whether written or oral, to the board, the commission, the bureau, the department, the Pennsylvania State Police or the Office of Attorney General, as required by this title.
(2) It shall be unlawful for a person to willfully:
(i) fail to report, pay or truthfully account for and pay over any license fee, authorization fee, permit fee, tax or assessment imposed under this title; or
(ii) attempt in any manner to evade or defeat any license fee, authorization fee, permit fee, registration fee, tax or assessment or any other fee imposed under this title.
(3) It shall be unlawful for any licensed entity, gaming employee, key employee or any other person to permit a slot machine, table game or table game device, interactive game or interactive gaming device or associated equipment to be operated, transported, repaired or opened on the premises of a licensed facility by a person other than a person licensed or permitted by the board pursuant to this part.
(3.1) It shall be unlawful for any person who does not possess a valid and then effective interactive gaming certificate or interactive gaming license to accept any wager associated with any authorized interactive game from any individual without verifying the age, identity and physical location of the player at the time of play or wager.
(4) It shall be unlawful for any licensed entity or other person to manufacture, supply or place slot machines, table games, table game devices or associated equipment, authorized interactive game or interactive gaming devices or associated equipment into play or display slot machines, table games, table game devices or associated equipment on the premises of a licensed facility without the authority of the board.
(4.1) It shall be unlawful for any slot machine licensee to offer interactive games into play or display such games on its interactive gaming skin or Internet website without the approval of the board.
(4.2) It shall be unlawful for any licensed entity or other person to manufacture, supply or place interactive gaming devices or associated equipment into operation at a licensed facility without the approval of the board.
(5) Except as provided for in section 1326 (relating to renewals), it shall be unlawful for a licensed entity or other person to manufacture, supply, operate, carry on or expose for play any slot machine, table game, table game device or associated equipment, interactive game or interactive gaming device or associated equipment after the person's license has expired and prior to the actual renewal of the license.
(6) (i) Except as set forth in subparagraph (ii), it shall be unlawful for an individual while on the premises of a licensed facility to knowingly use currency other than lawful coin or legal tender of the United States or a coin not of the same denomination as the coin intended to be used in the slot machine with the intent to cheat or defraud a licensed gaming entity or the Commonwealth or damage the slot machine.
(ii) In the playing of a slot machine, it shall be lawful for an individual to use gaming billets, tokens or similar objects issued by the licensed gaming entity which are approved by the board.
(7) (i) Except as set forth in subparagraph (ii), it shall be unlawful for an individual to use or possess a cheating or thieving device, counterfeit or altered billet, ticket, token or similar objects accepted by a slot machine or counterfeit or altered slot machine-issued tickets or vouchers at a licensed facility.
(ii) An authorized employee of a licensee or an employee of the board may possess and use a cheating or thieving device, counterfeit or altered billet, ticket, token or similar objects accepted by a slot machine or counterfeit or altered slot machine-issued tickets or vouchers in performance of the duties of employment.
(iii) (Deleted by amendment).
(7.1) It shall be unlawful for an individual to do any of the following:
(i) Use or possess counterfeit, marked, loaded or tampered with table game devices or associated equipment, chips or other cheating devices in the conduct of gaming under this part, except that an authorized employee of a licensee or an authorized employee of the board may possess and use counterfeit chips or table game devices or associated equipment that have been marked, loaded or tampered with, or other cheating devices or any unauthorized interactive gaming device or associated equipment in performance of the duties of employment for training, investigative or testing purposes only.
(ii) Knowingly, by a trick or sleight of hand performance or by fraud or fraudulent scheme, or manipulation, table game device or other device, or interactive gaming device for himself or for another, win or attempt to win any cash, property or prize at a licensed facility or to reduce or attempt to reduce a losing wager.
(7.2) It shall be unlawful for a person to knowingly alter, tamper or manipulate interactive gaming devices or associated equipment, including software, system programs, hardware and any other device or associated equipment used in interactive gaming operations, in order to alter the odds or the payout of an interactive game or to disable the interactive game from operating according to the rules of the game as authorized by the board.
(7.3) It shall be unlawful for a person to knowingly offer or allow to be offered any authorized interactive game that has been altered, tampered with or manipulated in a way that affects the odds or the payout of an authorized interactive game or disables the interactive game from operating according to the authorized rules of the game as authorized by the board.
(8) (i) Except as set forth in subparagraph (ii), it shall be unlawful for an individual to knowingly possess or use while on the premises of a licensed facility a key or device designed for the purpose of and suitable for opening or entering any slot machine, drop box or coin box which is located on the premises of the licensed facility.
(ii) An authorized employee of a licensee or a member of the board may possess and use a device referred to in subparagraph (i) in the performance of the duties of employment.
(9) It shall be unlawful for a person or licensed entity to possess any device, equipment or material which the person or licensed entity knows has been manufactured, distributed, sold, tampered with or serviced in violation of the provisions of this part with the intent to use the device, equipment or material as though it had been manufactured, distributed, sold, tampered with or serviced pursuant to this part.
(9.1) It shall be unlawful for a person to sell, offer for sale, represent or pass off as lawful any device, equipment or material which the person or licensed entity knows has been manufactured, distributed, sold, tampered with or serviced in violation of this part.
(10) It shall be unlawful for an individual to work or be employed in a position the duties of which would require licensing or permitting under the provisions of this part without first obtaining the requisite license or permit issued under the provisions of this part.
(11) It shall be unlawful for a licensed gaming entity that is a licensed racing entity and that has lost the license issued to it by the State Horse Racing Commission or the State Harness Racing Commission under the Race Horse Industry Reform Act or that has had that license suspended to operate slot machines, table games or authorized interactive games at the racetrack for which its slot machine license was issued unless the license issued to it by either the State Horse Racing Commission or the State Harness Racing Commission will be subsequently reissued or reinstated within 30 days after the loss or suspension.
(12) It shall be unlawful for a licensed entity to employ or continue to employ an individual in a position the duties of which require a license or permit under the provisions of this part if the individual:
(i) Is not licensed or permitted under the provisions of this part.
(ii) Is prohibited from accepting employment from a licensee.
(13) It shall be unlawful for an individual under 21 years of age to enter and remain in any area of a licensed facility where slot machines are operated or the play of table games is conducted, except that an individual 18 years of age or older employed by a slot machine licensee, a gaming service provider, the board or any other regulatory or emergency response agency may enter and remain in any such area while engaged in the performance of the individual's employment duties.
(13.1) It shall be unlawful for an individual under 21 years of age to wager, play or attempt to play a slot machine or table game at a licensed facility or to wager, play or attempt to play an interactive game.
(13.2) It shall be unlawful to allow a person under 21 years of age to open, maintain or use in any way an interactive gaming account. Any interactive gaming certificate holder, interactive gaming operator or employee of an interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator or other such person who knowingly allows a person under 21 years of age to open, maintain or use an interactive gaming account shall be subject to the penalty set forth in this section, except that the establishment of all of the following facts by an interactive gaming certificate holder, interactive gaming operator or employee of an interactive gaming certificate holder, interactive gaming operator or other such person shall constitute a defense to any regulatory action by the board or the penalty authorized under this section:
(i) the underage person falsely represented that the person was at least 21 years of age in the application for an interactive gaming account; and
(ii) the establishment of the interactive gaming account was made in good faith reliance upon such representation and in the reasonable belief that the underage person was at least 21 years of age.
(14) (Reserved).
(15) It shall be unlawful for a licensed gaming entity to require a wager to be greater than the stated minimum wager or less than the stated maximum wager. However, a wager made by a player and not rejected by a licensed gaming entity prior to commencement of play shall be treated as a valid wager. A wager accepted by a dealer or through an authorized interactive game shall be paid or lost in its entirety in accordance with the rules of the game, notwithstanding that the wager exceeded the current table maximum wager or authorized interactive game wager or was lower than the current table minimum wager or minimum interactive game wager.
(16) An individual that engages in conduct prohibited by 18 Pa.C.S. § 6308 (relating to purchase, consumption, possession or transportation of liquor or malt or brewed beverages) in a licensed facility commits a nongambling offense.
(17) It shall be unlawful for an individual to claim, collect or take, or attempt to claim, collect or take, money or anything of value in or from a slot machine, gaming table or other table game device, interactive game or interactive gaming device with the intent to defraud, or to claim, collect or take an amount greater than the amount won, or to manipulate with the intent to cheat, any component of any slot machine, table game or table game device, interactive game or interactive gaming device in a manner contrary to the designed and normal operational purpose.
(b) Criminal penalties and fines.--
(1) (i) A person that commits a first offense in violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 4902, 4903 or 4904 in connection with providing information or making any statement, whether written or oral, to the board, the bureau, the department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Office of Attorney General or a district attorney as required by this part commits an offense to be graded in accordance with the applicable section violated. A person that is convicted of a second or subsequent violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 4902, 4903 or 4904 in connection with providing information or making any statement, whether written or oral, to the board, the bureau, the department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Office of Attorney General or a district attorney as required by this part commits a felony of the second degree.
(ii) A person that violates subsection (a)(2), (3) and (4) through (12) or (17) commits a misdemeanor of the first degree. A person that is convicted of a second or subsequent violation of subsection (a)(2), (3) and (4) through (12) or (17) commits a felony of the second degree.
(2) (i) For a first violation of subsection (a)(1) through (12) or (17), a person shall be sentenced to pay a fine of:
(A) not more than $150,000 if the person is an individual;
(B) not less than $300,000 nor more than $600,000 if the person is a licensed gaming entity or an interactive gaming operator; or
(C) not less than $150,000 nor more than $300,000 if the person is a licensed manufacturer or supplier.
(ii) For a second or subsequent violation of subsection (a)(1), (2), (3) and (4) through (12) or (17), a person shall be sentenced to pay a fine of:
(A) not more than $300,000 if the person is an individual;
(B) not less than $600,000 nor more than $1,200,000 if the person is a licensed gaming entity; or
(C) not less than $300,000 nor more than $600,000 if the person is a licensed manufacturer or supplier.
(2.1) A person that commits an offense in violation of subsection (a)(3.1) commits a felony and, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $500,000 nor more than $1,000,000. A person that is convicted of a second or subsequent violation of subsection (a)(3.1) commits a felony of the first degree and shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $1,000,000 nor more than $2,500,000.
(3) An individual who commits an offense in violation of subsection (a)(13), (13.1) or (13.2) commits a nongambling summary offense and upon conviction of a first offense shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $200 nor more than $1,000. An individual that is convicted of a second or subsequent offense under subsection (a)(13), (13.1) or (13.2) shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,500. In addition to the fine imposed, an individual convicted of an offense under subsection (a)(13), (13.1) or (13.2) may be sentenced to perform a period of community service not to exceed 40 hours.
(4) An individual that commits an offense in violation of subsection (a)(16) commits a nongambling offense to be graded in accordance with 18 Pa.C.S. § 6308, and the fine imposed for a violation of subsection (a)(16) shall be not less than $350 nor more than $1,000.
(c) Board-imposed administrative sanctions.--
(1) In addition to any other penalty authorized by law, the board may impose without limitation the following sanctions upon any licensee or permittee:
(i) Revoke the license or permit of any person convicted of a criminal offense under this part or regulations promulgated under this part or committing any other offense or violation of this part or applicable law which would otherwise disqualify such person from holding the license or permit.
(ii) Revoke the license or permit of any person determined to have violated a provision of this part or regulations promulgated under this part which would otherwise disqualify such person from holding the license or permit.
(iii) Revoke the license or permit of any person for willfully and knowingly violating or attempting to violate an order of the board directed to such person.
(iv) Suspend the license or permit of any person pending the outcome of a hearing in any case in which license or permit revocation could result.
(v) Suspend the license of any licensed gaming entity for violation of or attempting to violate any provisions of this part or regulations promulgated under this part relating to its slot machine or table game operations.
(vi) Assess administrative penalties as necessary to punish misconduct and to deter future violations.
(vii) Order restitution of any moneys or property unlawfully obtained or retained by a licensee or permittee.
(viii) Enter cease and desist orders which specify the conduct which is to be discontinued, altered or implemented by the licensee or permittee.
(ix) Issue letters of reprimand or censure, which letters shall be made a permanent part of the file of each licensee or permittee so sanctioned.
(2) If the board refuses to issue or renew a license or permit, suspends or revokes a license or permit, assesses civil penalties, orders restitution, enters a cease and desist order or issues a letter of reprimand or censure, it shall provide the applicant or licensee or permittee with written notification of its decision, including a statement of the reasons for its decision by certified mail within five business days of the decision of the board. The applicant, licensee or permittee shall have the right to appeal the decision in accordance with 2 Pa.C.S. Chs. 5 Subch. A (relating to practice and procedure of Commonwealth agencies) and 7 Subch. A (relating to judicial review of Commonwealth agency action).
(3) In addition to any other fines or penalties that the board may impose under this part or regulation, if a person violates subsection (a)(2), the board shall impose an administrative penalty of three times the amount of the license fee, authorization fee, tax or other assessment evaded and not paid, collected or paid over. This subsection is subject to 2 Pa.C.S. Chs. 5 Subch. A and 7 Subch. A.
(d) Aiding and abetting.--
A person who aids, abets, counsels, commands, induces, procures or causes another person to violate a provision of this part shall be subject to all sanctions and penalties, both civil and criminal, provided under this part.
(e) Continuing offenses.--
A violation of this part that is determined to be an offense of a continuing nature shall be deemed to be a separate offense on each event or day during which the violation occurs. Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude the commission of multiple violations of the provisions of this part in any one day that establish offenses consisting of separate and distinct acts or violations of the provisions of this part or regulations promulgated under this part.
(f) Property subject to seizure, confiscation, destruction or forfeiture.--
Any equipment, device or apparatus, money, material, gaming proceeds or substituted proceeds or real or personal property used, obtained or received or any attempt to use, obtain or receive the device, apparatus, money, material, proceeds or real or personal property in violation of this part shall be subject to the provisions of 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 5803 (relating to asset forfeiture), 5805 (relating to forfeiture procedure), 5806 (relating to motion for return of property), 5807 (relating to restrictions on use), 5807.1 (relating to prohibition on adoptive seizures) and 5808 (relating to exceptions).
(Nov. 1, 2006, P.L.1243, No.135, eff. imd.; Jan. 7, 2010, P.L.1, No.1, eff. imd.; June 29, 2017, P.L.247, No.13, eff. July 1, 2017; Oct. 30, 2017, P.L.419, No.42, eff. imd.; Oct. 24, 2018, P.L.659, No.95, eff. 180 days)
2018 Amendment.
Act 95 amended subsec. (b)(4).
2017 Amendments.
Act 13 amended subsec. (f) and Act 42 amended subsecs. (a)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (7.1), (11), (13.1), (15) and (17) and (b)(1), (2) and (3), added subsecs. (a)(3.1), (4.1), (4.2), (7.2), (7.3) and (13.2) and (b)(2.1) and carried without amendment subsec. (a)(13).
2010 Amendment.
Act 1 amended subsecs. (a)(2), (3), (4), (5), (7), (8), (11) and (13), (b)(1) and (2) and (c)(1)(v) and (3) and added subsecs. (a)(7.1), (13.1), (14), (15), (16) and (17), (b)(3) and (4), (d), (e) and (f).
References in Text.
The act of December 17, 1981, P.L.435, No.135, known as the Race Horse Industry Reform Act, referred to in this section, was repealed by the act of February 23, 2016, P.L.15, No.7.
Cross References.
Section 1518 is referred to in sections 1201, 1512.1, 1518.1, 1607, 4304 of this title; section 5803 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure).