The regulatory provisions of Sections
4.22.020 and
4.22.025 of this chapter are necessary to ensure that cardrooms are operated reasonably for the protection of public health, safety, and welfare and to conform to State mandated requirements set by The Gaming Registration Act found in the Business and Professions Code commencing with Section
19800, et seq. The more liberalized regulations now provided in this amendment of Chapter
4.22 permit cardrooms to operate more card tables, operate for longer hours, play a wider range of card games, double the monetary limit on the amount of wagers, allow a greater number of players; and thus, provide for more gambling. With such liberalization of gaming regulations, the County's ability to enforce state and local law is compromised because County time, effort, and expense increases due to an increased opportunity for dishonesty and criminal conduct. Although many operators are highly reputable, others are creative in avoiding the letter of the law. Gaming brings with it the elements of enjoyment and entertainment for its patrons but also undesirable elements such as compulsive gambling, cheating, dishonesty, and other possible criminal violations and peace disturbances.
If all licensees were reputable and vigilant, regulatory supervision would be almost perfunctory. Such is the case with many existing licensees. Others, however, require exhaustive monitoring and enforcement. Integrity is a difficult commodity to ascertain in advance of licensure. Thorough screening of applicants prior to licensure is desirable. Pursuant to Sacramento County Code Sections
4.10.035 and
4.10.040, the Sheriff conducts a thorough investigation into the background of applicants and their entities in order to assure that licensure will not set the stage for fraud or deceit. Such investigation is particularly difficult when applicants have no local track record. Accordingly, two years residence or two years business operation within this County is required before an applicant is eligible to apply for a cardroom license and this requirement is found in Section
4.22.020 of this chapter. A two year period for the observation of an individual's or business entity's ethical practices or lack thereof is a more realistic period of time for such assessment as opposed to a one year residency requirement.
Section
4.22.025 would limit the number of cardroom licenses issued to one for each 75,000 residents of the County thus limiting the expansion of gambling within this community to a level where such gambling will be a source of local entertainment and recreation for local citizens while preventing this community and County from becoming a mecca for professional gamblers and gamblers from other jurisdictions. A "casino" type atmosphere where gambling becomes the major industry or attraction of a community or mecca for gamblers from all jurisdictions is detrimental to the development of this community as such increased and unrestrained gambling creates greater law enforcement problems compromising the ability of law enforcement to totally control the criminal and peace disturbance effects thereof. Limiting the number of licenses and cardrooms to one for each 75,000 residents assists in the accomplishment of these goals as opposed to permitting a greater number of licenses with a limitless number of cardrooms that may be operated per license.
The two year residency requirement and the reduction in the number of cardroom licenses available would allow County energies to be more efficiently allocated. Pre-license screening would be supplemented with the objective track record of each applicant. The number of cardrooms would remain at a manageable level for the Sheriff without creating a monopoly for existing cardrooms. The volume of unstable or illegally run cardroom operations would be more effectively curtailed.
Accordingly, it is the opinion and finding of the Sacramento County Sheriff and of this Board of Supervisors that a two year residence or operation prerequisite for a Special Business License and a limitation of one cardroom per 75,000 residents of the County will eliminate many of the above-mentioned problems without undue burden on stable and reputable cardrooms. The purpose therefore of Sections
4.22.020 and
4.22.025 of this chapter is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens within the unincorporated area, to assure that County expenditure is efficiently allocated, and to provide legitimate cardrooms where citizens of this County can safely enjoy the entertainment provided by reputable cardrooms.
(SCC 578 § 10, 1983; SCC 0988 § 2, 1995)