As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
PERSON
Any individual, firm, member of a firm, partnership, member of a
partnership, corporation or any officer, director or stockholder of said corporation.
[Amended 1-25-1988 by Ord.
No. 1988-1; 4-13-1989 by Ord.
No. 1989-6]
A. On and after the effective date of this chapter, all
automatic amusement games of the type commonly known and designated as bagatelle,
baseball or pinball amusement games, mechanic or electronic games such as
video games, pinball games, etc., or similar machines or devices operated,
maintained or used in any public or quasi-public place or in any building,
store or other place where the public is invited or where the public may enter
in, including particularly, but not limited by way of limitation, all coin-operated
automatic amusement devices of the type commonly known as bagatelle games,
baseball games or pinball amusement games, mechanical or electronic games
such as video games, pinball games, etc., or similar machines or devices operated,
maintained and used as aforesaid may be licensed by the Director of the Department
of Revenue and Finance of the City of Margate City and shall not be placed,
operated, maintained or used within the municipal limits of said City of Margate
City without first having obtained a license for that purpose.
B. No license is required if the above-described equipment
is located in buildings owned and operated by charitable, philanthropic, fraternal
or religious nonprofit organizations holding a tax-exempt status under the
Federal Internal Revenue Code, and further provided that the revenue generated
from the equipment is used exclusively for the purposes of said nonprofit
corporations.
If a license has been issued and the person to whom it has been issued
shall thereafter be convicted of a violation of this chapter, said license
and every other license held by the licensee under and by virtue of this chapter
shall immediately be revoked by the Director of the Department of Revenue
and Finance of the City of Margate City.
The licenses for the placing, operation, maintenance or use of such
amusement devices or machines mentioned before shall be issued to and in the
name of the proprietor of the premises and shall be issued for the calendar
year commencing March 15 and expiring March 14 as 12:00 midnight.
The fee for the issuance of a license shall be as provided in Chapter
183, Mercantile Licensing, of this Code.
No device or machine as specified in this chapter shall be placed, operated,
maintained or used until the license issued by the Director of the Department
of Revenue and Finance of the City of Margate City shall be affixed thereto
in a conspicuous place, so that the same shall be easily and quickly identified.
Said license shall disclose on its face the manufacturer's serial number and
the name and post office address of the licensee, shall disclose the amount
of money required to license said machine or device and shall briefly state
that the machine or device to which the same is affixed is licensed for operation
by the City of Margate City.
Any person who shall knowingly permit a minor under the age of 16 years
to play or operate any of the machines or devices licensed by this chapter
shall be deemed to be guilty of a violation of this chapter and punishable
therefor as herein provided.
Any person who shall use or permit to be used any of the machines or
devices licensed hereunder for the purposes of gambling shall be deemed to
be guilty of a violation of this chapter and punishable therefor as hereinafter
provided.
No machine or device licensed under this chapter shall be used, placed,
maintained or operated in any premises within 200 feet of any school.
[Amended 1-25-1988 by Ord.
No. 1988-1]
This chapter is enacted for the purpose of regulation and control of
automatic amusement games of the type commonly known and designated as bagatelle,
baseball or pin amusement games, mechanical or electronic games, such as video
games, pinball games, etc., or similar machines or devices.
[Amended 1-25-1988 by Ord.
No. 1988-1]
In addition to any other penalty herein provided, any person violating
any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof by the
Judge of the Municipal Court, be punishable by imprisonment not exceeding
90 days or a fine not exceeding $1,000, or both.