S 319

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1S.319
2 Introduced by Senator Mattos
3 Referred to Committee on
4 Date:
5 Subject: Recreation and sports; games of chance; Department of Liquor and
6Lottery; limited wagering event permit
7 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to authorize the
8 Board of Liquor and Lottery to annually issue not more than five limited
9 wagering event permits that allow wagering event operators to host poker
10 games and tournaments. This bill also proposes to apply a 35 percent tax on
11 the adjusted gross receipts from permitted wagering events, which shall be
12 deposited in the Education Fund.
13    An act relating to authorizing the issuance of limited wagering event
14    permits for poker games and tournaments
15 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
16 Sec. 1. 31 V.S.A. § 1209 is added to read:
17 § 1209. LIMITED WAGERING EVENT PERMIT
18    (a) As used in this section:
19(1) “Adjusted gross receipts” means the gross receipts less winnings
20 paid to wagerers.
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1      (2) “Limited wagering event permit” means a permit issued by the
2 Department of Liquor and Lottery that authorizes a wagering event operator to
3 hold a wagering event.
4      (3) “Wagering event” means an event not to exceed 72 hours in which
5 wagerers may participate in poker games or tournaments.
6      (4) “Wagering event operator” means a person who is the responsible
7 operator and administrator of a poker game or tournament.
8   (b) The Board of Liquor and Lottery is authorized to issue limited wagering
9 event permits to wagering event operators. A person may apply to the
10 Department of Liquor and Lottery to operate a single wagering event, at an
11 approved location, not to exceed 72 hours in duration. The Board shall not
12 issue more than five limited wagering event permits annually. The Board shall
13 not issue more than one limited wagering event permit to the same person in a
14 given calendar year.
15   (c) A wagering event operator shall be assessed a fee of $500.00 for a
16 limited wagering event permit.
17   (d) A wagering event operator shall submit an application on a form
18 adopted by the Board of Liquor and Lottery. A wagering event operator shall
19 submit the following information to the Department:
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1(1) the names of all principals and key employees;
2(2) the premises that will host the wagering event and security measures
3 that the wagering event operator will use for the event;
4(3) a list of all jurisdictions where the wagering event operators or any
5 parent companies are currently authorized to conduct similar wagering events
6 or casino gaming; and
7(4) the proposed number of players in the event and the measures taken
8 to ensure that players are over 18 years of age.
9    (e) The Board shall adopt procedures governing the review and
10 consideration of criminal background checks as a component of the permit
11 application review process. The procedures shall establish standards for
12 determining whether an applicant should not be selected as a wagering event
13 operator due to the criminal history of the applicant’s principals or other
14 individuals who control the operator applicant. The Department shall obtain a
15 copy of fingerprint-based Vermont criminal history records, out-of-state
16 criminal history records, and criminal history records from the Federal Bureau
17 of Investigation for each operator applicant, principal of an operator applicant,
18 and any individual who controls an operator applicant.
19    (f) Notwithstanding subsection (e) of this section, the Department may
20 accept third-party criminal background checks submitted by an operator
21 applicant, principal of an operator applicant, or any individual who controls an
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1 operator applicant in lieu of obtaining those records from the Vermont Crime
2 Information Center. The third-party background check shall:
3(1) be conducted by a third-party consumer reporting agency or
4 background screening company that is in compliance with the federal Fair
5 Credit Reporting Act; and
6(2) include a multistate and multijurisdictional criminal record locator.
7    (g) The holder of a limited wagering event permit shall pay a tax of 35
8 percent of the adjusted gross receipts from the wagering event. The
9 Commissioner of Taxes is authorized to collect and administer the tax pursuant
10 to this section, and the tax shall be paid and collected in the same manner as an
11 income tax under 32 V.S.A. chapter 151. A licensee liable for the tax imposed
12 by this section shall remit to the Commissioner of Taxes a return and any other
13 information required by the Commissioner along with the tax due within 15
14 days after the end of the wagering event. The Commissioner shall deposit all
15 tax revenue collected pursuant to this section in the Education Fund established
16 in 16 V.S.A. § 4025.
17 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE
18    This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
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