Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 49, December 7, 2024
Section 465a.17 - Bill validators, slot cash storage boxes and table game drop boxes(a) Slot machines, electronic wagering terminals and fully automated electronic gaming tables must be equipped with a bill validator configured to accept any combination of currency, gaming vouchers, coupons and other instruments authorized by the Board for incrementing credits on a slot machine, electronic wagering terminal or fully automated electronic gaming table.(b) Access to the bill validator must be controlled by at least one lock, the key to which shall be controlled by the slot operations department.(c) The bill validator in a slot machine, electronic wagering terminal or fully automated electronic gaming table must contain a secure tamper resistant container known as a slot cash storage box or table game drop box. Currency, gaming vouchers, coupons and Board-approved instruments inserted into the bill validator shall be deposited into the slot cash storage box or table game drop box.(d) The slot cash storage box or table game drop box on a fully automated electronic gaming table or an electronic wagering terminal must be secured to the bill validator by two separate locks, the keys to which shall be different from each other, one of which may be the lock to the belly door or main door of the slot machine, electronic wagering terminal or fully automated electronic gaming table and a second of which is the lock on the release mechanism on the slot cash storage box or table game drop box. If there is not a full door on the bill validator, the lock on the release mechanism on the slot cash storage box or table game drop box must detect and display whether it is locked or unlocked and communicate whether it is locked or unlocked to a slot monitoring system. The keys shall be maintained and controlled as follows: (1) The key to the main door and belly door, if applicable, of the slot machine, electronic wagering terminal or fully automated electronic gaming table shall be maintained and controlled by the slot operations department. The slot operations department may, immediately prior to the commencement of the drop, issue its main door and belly door key, if applicable, to the finance department. A key transferred from the slot operations department to the finance department shall be returned immediately following the conclusion of the drop. The slot operations department shall establish sign in and sign out procedures in its internal controls documenting this transfer.(2) The key to the lock securing the release mechanism on the slot cash storage box or table game drop box shall be maintained and controlled by the security department. The security department shall establish a sign out and sign in procedure with regard to this key which includes documentation of this transfer.(e) A slot cash storage box or table game drop box from a fully automated electronic gaming table or an electronic wagering terminal must:(1) Have at least one lock securing the contents of the slot cash storage box or table game drop box, the key to which shall be maintained and controlled by the finance department.(2) Have a slot opening through which currency, gaming vouchers and coupons can be inserted into the slot cash storage box or table game drop box.(3) Have a mechanical arrangement or device that prohibits removal of currency, gaming vouchers and coupons from the slot opening whenever the slot cash storage box or table game drop box is removed from the bill validator.(4) Be fully enclosed, except for openings that may be required for the operation of the bill validator or the slot cash storage box or table game drop box. However, the location and size of the openings may not affect the security of the slot cash storage box, the table game drop box, its contents or the bill validator.(5) Have an asset number that is permanently imprinted, affixed or impressed on the outside of the slot cash storage box or table game drop box which corresponds to the asset number of the slot machine, electronic wagering terminal or fully automated electronic gaming table to which the bill validator has been attached. In lieu of the asset number, a slot machine licensee may develop and maintain, with prior Board approval, a system for assigning a unique identification number to its slot cash storage boxes or table game drop boxes. The system must ensure that each slot cash storage box or table game drop box can readily be identified, either manually or by computer, when in use with, attached to and removed from a particular bill validator. Each unique identification number must be permanently imprinted, affixed or impressed on the outside of each slot cash storage box or table game drop box that does not otherwise bear an asset number. The asset number or unique identification number must be conspicuous and clearly visible to persons involved in removing or replacing the slot cash storage box or table game drop box in the bill validator and through the slot machine licensee's surveillance system. Notwithstanding the foregoing, emergency slot cash storage boxes and emergency table game drop boxes for fully automated electronic gaming tables or electronic wagering terminals may be maintained without an asset number or a unique identification number, provided the word "emergency " is permanently imprinted, affixed or impressed thereon, and when put into use, are temporarily marked with the asset number of the slot machine, electronic wagering terminal or fully automated electronic gaming table to which the bill validator is attached.(6) Be designed and installed in a manner that renders the slot machine, electronic wagering terminal or fully automated electronic gaming table inoperable in the event of the removal or absence of the slot cash storage box or table game drop box.(f) A table game in a licensed facility that is not a fully automated electronic gaming table or an electronic wagering terminal must have a secure tamper-resistant table game drop box attached to it in which the following shall be deposited:(1) All cash exchanged at the gaming table for gaming chips and plaques.(2) Issuance copies of Counter Checks exchanged at the gaming table for gaming chips and plaques.(3) Copies of Fill Request Slips, Fill Slips, Credit Request Slips, Credit Slips and Table Inventory Slips.(4) Other table game wagering instruments as approved by the Board.(g) A table game drop box from a table game that is not a fully automated electronic gaming table or electronic wagering terminal must have:(1) Two separate locks securing the contents placed into the table game drop box, the keys to which must be different from each other.(2) A separate lock securing the table game drop box to the gaming table, the key to which must be different from each of the keys to the locks securing the contents of the table game drop box.(3) A slot opening through which currency, value chips or Poker rake chips for nonbanking games, other table game wagering instruments as approved by the Board, and required forms and documents can be inserted into the table game drop box.(4) A mechanical device that must automatically close and lock the slot opening upon removal of the table game drop box from the gaming table.(5) Permanently imprinted or impressed thereon, and clearly visible to surveillance, either:(i) A number corresponding to a unique permanent number on the gaming table to which the table game drop box is attached and a letter or letters which indicate the type of game.(ii) The word "emergency."(6) In addition to the information required under paragraph (5)(i), a table game drop box may also be identified by a bar code label that is securely affixed to the table game drop box. Each bar code label affixed to a table game drop box must be: (i) Encoded, at a minimum, with the information required under paragraph (5)(i).(ii) Prepared in accordance with the slot machine licensee's approved internal controls.(h) The key utilized to release the table game drop boxes from table games that are not fully automated electronic gaming tables or electronic wagering terminals shall be maintained and controlled by the security department. The security department may, immediately prior to the commencement of the table game count process, issue its release key to the count room supervisor for the purpose of resetting the release mechanism on empty table game drop boxes. A key transferred from the security department shall be returned immediately following the conclusion of the count of the table game drop boxes. The security department shall establish sign in and sign out procedures in its internal controls documenting this transfer and procedures governing the control of the key during any breaks taken by the count room personnel.(i) The key to one of the locks securing the contents of a table game drop box from a table game that is not a fully automated electronic gaming table or an electronic wagering terminal shall be maintained and controlled by the finance department. The key to the second lock securing the contents of the table game drop box from a table game that is not a fully automated electronic gaming table or an electronic wagering terminal shall be maintained and controlled by the casino compliance representatives.(j) Prior to using a table game drop box labeled "Emergency" for a table game that is not a fully automated electronic gaming table or an electronic wagering terminal, the certificate holder shall:(1) Notify and obtain the verbal approval of the casino compliance representatives.(2) Temporarily mark the emergency table game drop box with the number of the gaming table and a letter or letters that indicate the type of game.The provisions of this § 465a.17 amended May 11, 2012, effective 5/12/2012, 42 Pa.B. 2585; amended December 15, 2017, effective 12/16/2017, 47 Pa.B. 7563.The provisions of this § 465a.17 amended under 4 Pa.C.S. §§ 1202(b)(30), 1207, 13A 02(1)-(6), 13A25, 13A62(a) and 1322.