(a) When decks of
cards are received from a manufacturer or supplier, the cards shall immediately
be unloaded under the supervision of at least two people, one of whom shall be
an assistant table games shift manager or above and one employee from the
security department, and transported to a secure area which is covered by the
slot machine licensee's surveillance system. The boxes of decks of cards shall
then be inspected by an assistant table games shift manager or above and one
employee from the security department to assure that the seals on each box are
intact, unbroken and free from tampering. Boxes that do not satisfy these
criteria shall be inspected at this time to assure that the decks of cards
contained therein conform to the requirements of this chapter and there is no
evidence of tampering. Boxes satisfying these criteria, together with boxes
having unbroken, intact and untampered seals shall then be placed for storage
in a storage area, the location and physical characteristics of which shall be
approved by the Bureau of Casino Compliance in accordance with §
601a.10(f)
(relating to approval of table game layouts, signage and equipment). A
certificate holder may have separate cabinets or storage areas for decks of
cards to be used at the game of Poker. The location and physical
characteristics of the cabinets or separate storage areas shall be approved by
the Bureau of Casino Compliance in accordance with §
601a.10(f).
(b) Approved storage areas must have two
separate locks. The security department shall maintain one key and the table
games department shall maintain the other key. A person employed by the table
games department below an assistant table games shift manager in the
organizational hierarchy may not have access to the table games department key
for the approved storage areas. If the certificate holder has a separate Poker
storage area, a person below a Poker shift manager in the organizational
hierarchy may not have access to the table games department key to the Poker
storage area.
(c) Except as
provided in subsection (g), immediately prior to the commencement of each
gaming day and at other times as may be necessary, an assistant table games
shift manager or above, in the presence of a security department employee,
shall remove the appropriate number of decks of cards for that gaming day from
the approved storage area. The assistant table games shift manager or above and
the security department employee who removed the decks shall distribute
sufficient decks to the pit managers or above and, if applicable, to the Poker
shift manager. The number of decks distributed must include extra decks that
shall be placed in the pit stand for the card reserve. Decks of cards in the
pit stand shall be placed in a locked compartment, the keys to which shall be
in the possession of the pit managers or above or the Poker shift manager or
above.
(d) If the decks are to be
inspected at open gaming tables in accordance with subsection (h), the pit
manager or above shall distribute the decks to the dealer at each table or the
Poker shift manager shall transport the decks to the Poker pit stand for
subsequent distribution to the dealer at each Poker table either directly by
the Poker shift manager or through the floorperson assigned to supervise the
dealer.
(e) If the decks are to be
preinspected and preshuffled at a closed gaming table as permitted under
subsection (u), the pit manager or above or Poker shift manager shall deliver
the decks to the dealer and the floorperson or above at the closed gaming table
where the preinspection and preshuffling shall be performed.
(f) If the decks have already been
preinspected, preshuffled, sealed in containers and placed in the card storage
area as permitted under subsection (u)(8)(ii) or (v), the assistant table games
shift manager or above and a security department employee shall transport the
number of sealed containers of cards needed for that gaming day to the gaming
pits where the cards will be utilized and shall ensure that the containers are
locked in the pit stand. A record of the removal of the sealed containers of
cards from the approved storage area and the distribution of sealed containers
to the gaming pits shall be maintained by the security department in a manner
consistent with the certificate holder's internal controls filed in accordance
with §
465a.2 (relating to internal
control systems and audit protocols).
(g) If the decks of cards to be used for
Poker for that gaming day are removed from the Poker storage area, the Poker
shift manager or above and a security department employee shall, prior to the
commencement of each gaming day and at other times as may be necessary, remove
the appropriate number of decks from the Poker storage area and distribute the
decks in accordance with subsection (d), (e) or (f). The number of decks
distributed must include extra decks that shall be placed in the pit stand for
the card reserve. Decks of cards in the pit stand shall be placed in a locked
compartment, the keys to which shall be in the possession of the Poker shift
manager or above.
(h) Except for
decks of cards that are preinspected and preshuffled in accordance with
subsection (u) or (v), the dealer shall sort the cards in each deck according
to suit and in sequence to verify that all cards are present and visually
inspect the backs of the cards for any defects that might compromise the
integrity or fairness of the game. The floorperson or above shall verify the
inspection.
(i) If while inspecting
the cards in accordance with subsection (h), the dealer finds that a card is
unsuitable for use, a card is missing from the deck or an extra card is found,
the following procedures shall be observed:
(1) A pit manager or above or a Poker shift
manager shall bring a replacement deck of cards from the card reserve in the
pit stand.
(2) The unsuitable deck
shall be placed in a sealed envelope or container, identified by table number,
date and time and signed by the dealer and floorperson assigned to that table
or above.
(3) The pit manager or
above or a Poker shift manager shall maintain the envelope or container in a
secure place within the pit until collection by a security department
employee.
(j) Envelopes
and containers used to hold or transport cards must be:
(1) Transparent.
(2) Designed or constructed with seals so
that any tampering is evident.
(3)
Submitted to the Bureau of Gaming Operations and approved in accordance with
§
601a.10(a).
(k) If any cards in a deck appear
to be damaged during the course of play, the dealer shall immediately notify a
floorperson or above. If after inspection, the floorperson or above determines
that the card is damaged and needs to be replaced, the floorperson shall notify
the pit manager or above or the Poker shift manager.
(1) The pit manager or above or the Poker
shift manager shall:
(i) Notify surveillance
of a card change.
(ii) Bring a
replacement deck of cards from the pit stand to replace the damaged card or
cards.
(iii) Place the damaged card
face up on the table and remove the matching card from the replacement deck and
place it face up on the table.
(iv)
Turn over both the damaged card and the replacement card to verify that the
backs of the cards match.
(v) Place
the replacement card in the discard rack.
(vi) Tear the damaged card down the center
and place it face up in the replacement deck.
(vii) Return the replacement deck to the pit
stand.
(2) At least once
each gaming day, the replacement decks of cards shall be collected and placed
in an envelope or container and sealed. A label shall be attached to each
envelope or container which identifies the deck as a replacement deck and
signed by the pit manager or above or the Poker shift manager.
(3) The pit manager or above or the Poker
shift manager shall maintain the sealed envelopes or containers in a secure
place within the pit until collection by a security department employee in
accordance with subsection (o).
(4)
This subsection does not apply to cards showing indications of tampering, flaws
or other defects that might affect the integrity or fairness of the
game.
(l) Decks of cards
that were used for play shall be put into envelopes or containers when removed
from active use at the table.
(1) A label
shall be attached to each envelope or container which identifies the table
number, date and time the decks of cards where collected and signed by the
dealer and floorperson assigned to the table.
(2) The Poker shift manager or pit manager or
above shall maintain the sealed envelopes or containers in a secure place
within the pit until collection by a security department employee.
(m) A certificate holder shall
remove any deck of cards at any time during the day if there is any indication
of tampering, flaws or other defects that might affect the integrity or
fairness of the game, or at the request of a casino compliance representative
or other Board employee.
(n) Extra
decks or packaged sets of multiple decks in the card reserve with broken seals
shall be placed in a sealed envelope or container, with a label attached to
each envelope or container that contains the number of decks or packaged sets
of multiple decks, as applicable, included therein, the date and time the decks
were placed in the envelope or container and the signature of the floorperson
or above for decks used for Poker and the pit manager or above for decks used
for all other games.
(o) At the end
of each gaming day or, in the alternative, at least once each gaming day, as
designated by the certificate holder and approved by the Bureau of Casino
Compliance in accordance with §
601a.10(g), and
at other times as may be necessary, a security department employee shall
collect and sign all envelopes or containers with damaged decks of cards, decks
of cards required to be removed that gaming day and all extra decks in the card
reserve with broken seals and return the envelopes or containers to the
security department.
(p) At the end
of each gaming day or, in the alternative, at least once each gaming day, as
designated by the certificate holder and approved by the Bureau of Casino
Compliance in accordance with §
601a.10(g), and
at other times as may be necessary, an assistant table games shift manager or
above may collect all extra decks with intact seals in the card reserve. If the
certificate holder maintains a separate storage area for Poker cards, a Poker
shift manager or above may collect all extra decks in the card reserve for the
game of Poker. If collected, all sealed decks shall either be cancelled,
destroyed or returned to the storage area.
(q) When the envelopes or containers of used
cards and reserve cards with broken seals are returned to the security
department, the cards shall be inspected for tampering, marks, alterations,
missing or additional cards or anything that might indicate unfair play as
follows:
(1) For cards used in Blackjack,
Spanish 21, Baccarat, Midibaccarat or Minibaccarat, the certificate holder
shall inspect either:
(i) All decks used
during the day.
(ii) A sample of
decks selected at random or in accordance with an approved stratification plan,
provided that the procedures for selecting the sample size and for assuring a
proper selection of the sample have been submitted to the Bureau of Gaming
Operations and approved in accordance with §
465a.2.
(2) The certificate holder shall also
inspect:
(i) Any decks of cards that the Board
requested the certificate holder to remove for the purpose of
inspection.
(ii) Any decks of cards
the certificate holder removed for indication of tampering.
(iii) All cards used for all banked table
games other than the games listed in paragraph (1).
(iv) All cards used for Poker.
(3) The procedures for inspecting
all decks required to be inspected under this subsection must include, at a
minimum:
(i) The sorting of cards sequentially
by suit or utilizing a machine approved by the Bureau of Gaming Laboratory
Operations, in accordance with §
461a.4 (relating to submission for
testing and approval), capable of reading the cards to determine whether any
deck contains missing or additional cards.
(ii) The inspection of the backs with an
ultraviolet light.
(iii) The
inspection of the sides of the cards for crimps, bends, cuts or
shaving.
(iv) The inspection of the
front and back of all plastic cards for consistent shading and
coloring.
(4) If during
the inspection procedures required for cards used in Poker, one or more of the
cards in a deck are determined to be unsuitable for continued use, those cards
shall be placed in a sealed envelope or container and a two-part Card
Discrepancy Report shall be completed in accordance with paragraph
(8).
(5) Upon completion of the
inspection procedures required in paragraph (2), each deck of cards used in
Poker which is determined suitable for continued use shall be placed in
sequential order, repackaged and returned to the approved or Poker storage area
for subsequent use. The certificate holder shall develop internal control
procedures for returning the repackaged cards to the Poker card inventory in
accordance with subsection (r).
(6)
An individual performing an inspection shall complete a work order form which
details the procedures performed and lists the tables from which the cards were
removed and the results of the inspection. The individual shall sign the form
upon completion of the inspection procedures.
(7) The certificate holder shall submit the
training procedures for the employees performing the inspections required under
this subsection in its internal controls.
(8) Evidence of tampering, marks,
alterations, missing or additional cards or anything that might indicate unfair
play discovered during an inspection, or at any other time, shall be
immediately reported to the casino compliance representatives by the completion
and delivery of a two-part Card Discrepancy Report.
(i) The two-part report must include the
cards or decks of cards which are the subject of the report.
(ii) The cards or decks of cards shall be
retained by the casino compliance representatives for further
inspection.
(iii) The casino
compliance representative receiving the cards shall sign the original and
duplicate copy of the Card Discrepancy Report and retain the original. The
duplicate copy shall be retained by the certificate holder.
(r) Certificate holders
shall submit to the Bureau of Gaming Operations for approval, in accordance
with §
465a.2, internal control
procedures for:
(1) A card inventory system,
which includes, at a minimum, the records of the following:
(i) The balance of decks of cards on
hand.
(ii) The decks of cards
removed from storage.
(iii) The
decks of cards returned to storage or received from a manufacturer or
supplier.
(iv) The date of each
transaction.
(v) The signatures of
the individuals involved.
(2) A reconciliation, on a daily basis, of
the decks of cards distributed, destroyed or cancelled, returned to the storage
area and, if any, the decks of cards in the card reserve.
(3) A physical inventory of all decks of
cards at least once every 3 months.
(i) This
inventory shall be performed by an individual with no incompatible functions
and shall be verified to the balance of decks of cards on hand required in
paragraph (1)(i).
(ii)
Discrepancies shall immediately be reported to the casino compliance
representatives.
(s) Decks of cards in an envelope or
container that are inspected as required under subsection (q) and found to be
without any indication of tampering, marks, alterations, missing or additional
cards or anything that might indicate unfair play, with the exception of
plastic cards used at Poker which are of sufficient quality for reuse, shall be
destroyed or cancelled within 5 days of collection. Cards submitted to the
Board shall be destroyed or cancelled within 5 days of release from the Board.
(1) Destruction of cards must be by
shredding.
(2) Cancellation of
cards must be by drilling a circular hole of at least 1/4 inch in diameter
through the center of each card in the deck.
(3) The destruction or cancellation of cards
must take place in a secure location in the licensed facility covered by the
slot machine licensee's surveillance system, the physical characteristics of
which shall be approved by the Bureau of Casino Compliance in accordance with
§
601a.10(f).
(t) If a deck of plastic cards has been
reused 12 or more times and the deck has been determined to be suitable for
reuse by the individual performing the inspection procedures required under
subsection (q)(3), before the deck may be reused at a Poker table, the deck
shall be inspected by a Poker shift manager or floorperson. A satisfactory
inspection shall be documented by the Poker shift manager or floorperson. If
the Poker shift manager or floorperson determines that the deck may not be
reused, the deck shall be placed in a sealed envelope or container, with a
label attached which identifies the date and time the deck was placed in the
envelope or container and shall be signed by the Poker shift manager or
floorperson. At the end of the gaming day or at other times as may be
necessary, the envelope or container shall be collected by a security
department employee and returned to the security department for destruction or
cancellation in accordance with subsection (s).
(u) If a certificate holder elects to
preinspect and preshuffle cards at a closed gaming table prior to the delivery
of the cards to an open gaming table, the procedures in this subsection shall
be performed by a dealer and supervised by a floorperson or above with no
concurrent supervisory responsibility for open gaming tables. A schedule of the
proposed time and location for the preinspection and preshuffling shall be
provided to the casino compliance representatives at least 24 hours prior to
commencement of the process. The procedures required under paragraphs (1)-(7)
shall be recorded by the surveillance department and each recording shall be
retained by the certificate holder for at least 7 days.
(1) Upon receipt of the decks of cards in
accordance with subsection (e), the dealer shall perform the procedures in
paragraphs (2)-(7) independently for each batch of cards that will be sealed in
a container in accordance with paragraph (7), with the number of decks of cards
in each batch being equal to the number of decks of cards required for the
table game in which the decks are intended to be used.
(2) The dealer shall visually inspect the
back of each card to assure that it is not flawed, scratched or marked in any
way that might compromise the integrity or fairness of the game.
(3) The dealer shall then, either by hand or
by using a machine approved by the Bureau of Gaming Laboratory Operations, in
accordance with §
461a.4 inspect the front of each
card to insure that all cards are present and that there are no extra cards in
the deck.
(4) If after inspection,
a card is determined to be unsuitable for use, or the deck is missing a card or
an extra card is found, the following procedures shall be observed:
(i) The deck containing the unsuitable,
missing or extra card shall be placed in an envelope or container which shall
be identified by table number, date and time the deck of cards was placed in
the envelope or container and signed by the dealer and floorperson or above
performing the preinspection and preshuffle.
(ii) The sealed envelope or container
containing the deck containing the unsuitable, missing or extra card shall be
maintained by the floorperson or above until collection by a security
department employee at the conclusion of the preinspection and preshuffling
procedure.
(5) The dealer
shall then shuffle the cards by hand or by using an automated card shuffling
device.
(6) Upon completion of the
preinspection and preshuffling process of the cards in the batch, the dealer
and floorperson or above shall complete a two-part Preshuffled/Preinspected
Form or other documentation, which includes, at a minimum, the following:
(i) The time and date the
Preshuffled/Preinspected Form was prepared.
(ii) The number of decks in the
batch.
(iii) The table games at
which the batch will be utilized if the batch contains more or less than 52
cards per deck. For example: if the batch contains jokers, the game of Pai Gow
Poker must appear on the label; if the batch does not contain 10s, Spanish 21
must appear on the label.
(iv) The
signature of the dealer who preinspected and preshuffled the cards, certifying
that the cards were preinspected and preshuffled in accordance with this
subsection.
(v) The signature of
the floorperson or above who witnessed and verified the preinspection and
preshuffling.
(vi) The time, date
and gaming table to which the sealed container of cards is subsequently
delivered.
(vii) The signature of
the floorperson or above who delivered the sealed container of cards to the
gaming table in accordance with paragraph (9).
(7) The dealer shall then place the
preinspected and preshuffled batch of cards, together with the
Preshuffled/Preinspected Form or other documentation, in a clear container that
conforms to the requirements of subsection (j) and seal the container with a
prenumbered label unique to the container. Procedures for the maintenance and
security of unused seals, and the distribution, return and reconciliation of
seals used on containers holding preinspected and preshuffled cards shall be
included in the certificate holder's internal controls.
(8) The sealed containers of cards shall be
transported by either:
(i) A pit manager or
above or Poker shift manager to the gaming pit of the gaming tables where the
cards will be utilized and locked in the pit stand.
(ii) An assistant table games shift manager
or above and a security department employee to the approved storage area or
Poker storage area where the cards shall be placed back into the card inventory
and segregated from cards that have not been preinspected and preshuffled. A
record of the transport of the sealed containers of cards to the approved
storage area shall be maintained by the security department in a manner
consistent with the certificate holder's approved internal controls.
(9) When the preinspected and
preshuffled cards are needed for play, each container of cards shall be
delivered by a floorperson or above to an open gaming table. Upon delivery, the
floorperson or above shall unseal the container, place the decks of cards on
the gaming table in front of the dealer, complete and sign the
Preshuffled/Preinspected Form, drop the original Preshuffled/Preinspected Form
in a locked box in the gaming pit and forward the copy of the
Preshuffled/Preinspected Form to the security department.
(10) The dealer at the gaming table shall
then cut the cards in the manner prescribed by the rules governing the
particular table game.
(v) A certificate holder may use preinspected
and preshuffled decks or batches of decks obtained from a licensed manufacturer
or supplier in the same manner as decks or batches of decks that are
preinspected and preshuffled under subsection (u) if the licensed manufacturer
or supplier has been approved to provide preinspected and preshuffled decks or
batches of decks by the Board's Executive Director.
