Md. Code Regs. 36.05.02.10

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 24, December 2, 2024

Section 36.05.02.10 - Permissible Wagers; Exchange and Redemption of Chips and Plaques

A. Wagering at table games in a facility shall be conducted with gaming chips, plaques, electronic wagering credits, and other wagering instruments approved in advance by the Commission.

B. A value chip previously issued by a facility operator that is not in active use by that facility operator may not be used for any gaming purpose in a facility, and may be redeemed only at the cage as provided in §E of this regulation.

C. A facility operator shall issue a gaming chip or plaque to a player only at the request of the player, and may not be given as change in any transaction other than a gaming transaction.

D. A gaming chip or plaque shall be issued to player by:

(1) A dealer at a banking or nonbanking table game;

(2) The poker room cage, poker room impressed bank or the poker window cashier at the main cage; or

(3) A chip runner to a player seated at a poker table at which a game is in progress.

E. A player may redeem a plaque or value chip only at the cage.

F. Except as provided in §§L and M of this regulation, or as otherwise approved in advance by the Commission, a facility operator shall redeem a gaming chip or plaque that it issued only from players.

G. Roulette Chips.

(1) A player may present a roulette chip for redemption only at the roulette table from which it was issued.

(2) When a player presents a roulette chip for redemption, a dealer shall accept it in exchange for an equivalent amount of value chips.

H. Value Chips at Roulette.

(1) A facility operator may permit, limit or prohibit the use of a value chip in gaming at roulette in accordance with its rules submission submitted under COMAR 36.05.03.19.

(2) If a value chip is use at roulette, the facility operator and its employees shall keep accurate account of the wagers being made with value chips so that wager made by one player are not confused with the wagers made by another player at the table.

I. A gaming chip or plaque is solely evidence of a debt that the issuing facility operator owes to an individual legally in possession of the gaming chip or plaque, and it remains the property of the issuing facility operator.

J. Redemption at the Facility.

(1) A facility operator shall have the right at any time to demand that an individual possessing a gaming chip or plaque surrender the gaming chip or plaque for redemption in accordance with this regulation.

(2) Unless a gaming chip or plaque was obtained or is being used unlawfully, a facility operator shall promptly redeem its gaming chip or plaque presented by a player.

(3) A facility operator shall redeem its value chip or plaque by:

(a) Exchanging the value chip or plaque for an equivalent amount of cash; or

(b) Exchanging the value chip or plaque for a check issued by the facility operator in the amount of the value chip or plaque surrendered and dated the day of the redemption.

K. Redemption by Mail.

(1) Notwithstanding the requirements of §J of this regulation, if a player requests by mail to redeem value chips, in any amount, by mail, a facility operator may effectuate the redemption in accordance with its approved internal controls.

(2) A facility operator's internal controls for redemption of a value chip by mail shall, at a minimum, include procedures for the:

(a) Facility operator's issuance of a check to the player; and

(b) Transfer of a surrendered value chip to the chip bank in a documented transaction.

L. A facility operator shall accept, exchange, use or redeem only a gaming chip or plaque that the facility operator has issued and may not knowingly accept, exchange, use or redeem a gaming chip or plaque, or an object that appears to be a gaming chip or plaque, that has been issued by any other facility operator.

M. Notwithstanding §L of this regulation, a facility operator may accept and redeem a value chip issued by another facility operator in the State from a player.

N. Employee Receiving a Value Chip as Gratuity.

(1) A video lottery employee of a facility operator may receive a value chip as a gratuity.

(2) A video lottery employee may receive a value chip in exchange for food or beverage that a player purchases from the video lottery employee.

(3) A video lottery employee of a facility operator who receives a value chip as a gratuity, or in exchange for food or beverage, shall redeem the value chip prior to leaving the facility at the end of the work shift during which the employee received the value chip.

(4) A value chip received by a video lottery employee shall be redeemed at the cage or at another secure location approved in advance by the Commission.

(5) A value chip received by a video lottery employee that is redeemed at a noncage employee redemption site shall be exchanged on a daily basis with the cage.

(6) A facility operator shall include in its internal controls a means of ensuring the proper exchange and accounting of a value chip received as a gratuity or for the purchase of food and beverage.

O. Redemption of Facility Chips From Another Operator.

(1) A facility operator shall promptly redeem its own value chip that is presented to it by another facility operator in the State.

(2) A facility operator shall include in its internal controls a system for the exchange, with other legally operated facility operators, of a value chip that:

(a) Is in the facility operator's possession that has been issued by another facility operator in the State; and

(b) The facility operator has issued that is presented to it for redemption by another facility operator in the State.

P. A facility operator shall post, in a prominent place on the front of the main cage, any satellite cage and the poker room cage, a sign that reads as follows: "Gaming chips or plaques issued by another facility may not be used, exchanged or redeemed in this facility."

Md. Code Regs. 36.05.02.10

Regulations .10 adopted as an emergency provision effective 40:6 Md. R. 471, eff.3/1/2013 ; adopted permanently effective 40:12 Md. R. 1044, eff.6/24/2013