Current through the 2024 Regular Session
Section 75-76-34 - Regulation of schools and training institutions that teach or train gaming employees; allow gaming management courses to be taught at institutions of higher learning and community colleges(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Mississippi Gaming Commission is authorized to regulate all schools or training institutions that teach or train gaming employees. No such school shall be located on publicly owned property, other than property under the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or a public community college. Except as authorized under this section, no public school shall teach or train persons to be gaming employees. The gaming educational activities of schools or training institutions regulated by the commission and of state institutions of higher learning and public community colleges shall be deemed to be legal under the laws of the State of Mississippi. Any person desiring to operate a school or training institution other than a state institution of higher learning or public community college must file a license application with the executive director to be licensed by the commission.(2) The commission may adopt regulations it deems necessary to regulate schools and training institutions other than state institutions of higher learning and public community colleges. These regulations shall, without limiting the general powers of the commission, include the following: (a) Prescribing the method and form of application which any applicant for a school or training institution must follow and complete before consideration of his application by the executive director or commission.(b) Prescribing the information to be furnished by the applicant relating to his employees.(c) Requiring fingerprinting of the applicant, employees and students of the school or institution or other methods of identification and the forwarding of all fingerprints taken pursuant to regulation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.(d) Requiring any applicant to pay all or part of the fees and costs of investigation of the applicant as may be determined by the commission.(e) Prescribing the manner and method of collection and payment of fees and costs and issuance of licenses to schools or training institutions.(f) Prescribing under what conditions a licensee authorized by this section may be deemed subject to revocation or suspension of his license.(g) Defining the curriculum of the school or training institution, the games and devices permitted, the use of tokens only for instruction purposes, and the method of operation of games and devices.(h) Requiring the applicant to submit its location of the school or training institution, which shall be at least four hundred (400) feet from any church, school, kindergarten or funeral home. However, within an area zoned commercial or business, the minimum distance shall not be less than one hundred (100) feet.(i) Requiring that all employees and students of the school or training institution be at least twenty-one (21) years of age.(j) Requiring all employees and students of the school or training institution to wear identification cards issued by the commission while on the premises of the school or training institution.(k) Requiring the commission to investigate each applicant, employee and student and determine that the individual does not fall within any one (1) of the following categories:(i) Is under indictment for, or has been convicted in any court of, a felony;(ii) Is a fugitive from justice;(iii) Is an unlawful user of any controlled substance, is addicted to any controlled substance or alcoholic beverage, or is an habitual drunkard;(iv) Is a mental defective, has been committed to a mental institution, or has been voluntarily committed to a mental institution on more than one (1) occasion;(v) Has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions; or(vi) Has been found at any time by the executive director or commission to have falsified any information.(3) State institutions of higher learning and community colleges may offer credited courses specifically relating to gaming management, including, but not limited to, courses that provide instruction in accounting, hospitality, marketing, auditing, finance, procurement, security and regulatory requirements in fulfillment of a degree in general business management, hotel and motel management, food and beverage management, gaming management, accounting or criminal justice. State institutions of higher learning and community colleges are not subject to regulation by the commission for the purposes of this subsection. The courses authorized by this subsection may be offered only in those counties where gaming is legally being conducted and where the institution is located.(4) State institutions of higher learning and public community colleges may offer courses related to casino hospitality services, cage and count operations, and slot machine maintenance. Slot machine maintenance training may be performed only on equipment approved by the commission for training purposes only. State institutions of higher learning and public community colleges are not subject to regulation by the commission for the purposes of this subsection. The courses authorized by this subsection may be offered only in those counties where gaming is legally being conducted and where the institution or community college is located.Laws, 1991, ch. 543, § 1; Laws, 2010, ch. 431, § 8, eff. 3/24/2010.Amended by Laws, 2013, ch. 327, SB 2499, 1, eff. 7/1/2013.