No person or persons, firm, association, club or corporation
shall maintain, operate, conduct or pursue the business or occupation
of keeping any public room or place wherein coin-operated amusement
machines are played without having first obtained a license therefor
as hereinafter provided.
All licenses herein provided for shall be issued by the Borough
Clerk upon compliance with the terms hereof, only after the payment
of the license fee herein provided for. All such licenses shall be
valid from the first day of July of the year in which the license
is issued until the 30th day of June next after the same is issued,
unless sooner revoked.
Such license shall bear the date of issue, the name of the licensee,
the purpose for which issued and the location of the room or building
wherein the licensee is authorized to carry on and conduct any such
business. Such license shall not be transferable by the holder to
any other person or persons, firm, association or corporation, but
such license may be transferred by the holder to another address,
provided that the licensee shall make written application for such
transfer to the Borough Clerk and such transfer is approved by resolution
of the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Bellmawr.
The annual fees to be paid for such license shall be as provided in Chapter
210, Fees.
In the event that any license is suspended or revoked, the licensee
shall not be permitted the return of any portion of the license fee.
Any premises which shall be declared to be unsafe by the written
report of the Building Inspector or a fire hazard by the written report
of the Fire Marshal shall be deemed to be ineligible for a license.
No license shall be issued for the operation of any coin-operated
amusement room which is located within 1,000 feet of any school, church
or publicly owned building.
No person under the age of 18 years shall be admitted to or
permitted to play any coin-operated amusement device or machine in
any licensed premises or to frequent or lounge or congregate or gather
in such room or place unless accompanied by his or her parent or guardian.
In no event shall card playing be permitted on premises licensed
under this chapter, even if such card playing is for social purposes.
This chapter shall not apply to any religious, charitable, benevolent
or nonprofit association or corporation which operates or maintains
any coin-operated amusement machines solely for the recreation and
amusement of its members, provided that such organization is bona
fide in character and is not intended as a means or device for evading
the terms and provisions of this chapter, nor shall this chapter apply
to the keeping of any coin-operated amusement machines in private
residences.
There shall be conspicuously posted and displayed in any premises
licensed under this chapter the license issued pursuant to this chapter.
Any person violating any provision of this chapter shall, upon
conviction thereof, be subject to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment
for a term not exceeding 90 days or a period of community service
not exceeding 90 days, or any combination thereof. Each and every
day that such violation shall continue shall be a further and separate
offense under the terms of this chapter, subject to the penalties
herein prescribed.