Unless the provisions of this Chapter provide otherwise, all of the provisions of Chapter 1 of this Part are applicable to the licenses referred to in this Chapter.
(Added by Ord. No. 3390, effective 8-20-09; amended by Ord. No. 3648, effective 9-26-24)
As used in this Chapter, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) 
"Applicant"
means any person who has applied for, or is about to apply for, a County gambling license, or approval of any act or transaction for which County approval is required or permitted under this Chapter.
(b) 
"Controlled game"
means any controlled game, which is played with cards, dominoes, playing tiles, tokens, or any device representing any numbered, spotted or faced playing card or domino.
(c) 
"Expansion"
means an increase of 25 percent or more in the number of authorized gambling tables in a gambling establishment, based on the number of gambling tables for which a license initially was issued.
(d) 
"Finding of suitability"
means a finding that a person meets the qualification criteria described in Business and Professions Code section 19857, and that the person would not be disqualified from holding a state gambling license on any of the grounds specified in Business and Professions Code section 19859.
(e) 
"Game" and "gambling game"
means any controlled game.
(f) 
"Gambling"
means to deal, operate, carry on, conduct, maintain, or expose for play any controlled game.
(g) 
"Gambling enterprise employee"
means the same as provided in Business and Professions Code section 19805, subdivision (n).
(h) 
"Gambling establishment" or "establishment" (including "card room" or "gaming club")
means one or more rooms where any controlled gambling occurs.
(i) 
"Gambling license" (including "card room license" or "gaming club license")
means any license issued by the County, unless otherwise specified, that authorizes the person named therein to conduct a gambling operation.
(j) 
"Gambling operation"
means one or more controlled games that are dealt, operated, carried on, conducted, maintained, or exposed for play for commercial gain.
(k) 
"Key employee"
means any natural person employed in the operation of a gambling enterprise in a supervisory capacity or empowered to make discretionary decisions that regulate gambling operations, including, without limitation, pit bosses, shift bosses, credit executives, cashier operations supervisors, gambling operation managers and assistant managers, managers or supervisors of security employees, or any other natural person designated as a key employee by the division for reasons consistent with the policies of this Chapter.
(l) 
"Licensed gambling establishment"
means the gambling premises encompassed by a County gambling license.
(m) 
"Owner licensee"
means an owner of a gambling enterprise who holds a County gambling license.
(n) 
"Person"
unless otherwise indicated includes a natural person, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, trust, joint venture, association, or any other business organization.
(o) 
"Work permit"
means any card, certificate, or permit issued by the California Gambling Control Commission or by the County, whether denominated as a work permit, registration card, or otherwise, authorizing the holder to be employed as a gambling enterprise employee (as defined in Bus. & Prof. Code, § 19805).
(Added by Ord. No. 3390, effective 8-20-09; amended by Ord. No. 3490, effective 2-25-16; amended by Ord. No. 3648, effective 9-26-24)
By adopting this Chapter, it is the intent of the County to comply with the mandates of the Gambling Control Act (Bus. & Prof. Code, § 19800 et seq.), as adopted and as amended from time to time. The Gambling Control Act provides for uniform, minimum standards of regulation of permissible gambling activities and the operation of lawful gambling establishments (Bus. & Prof. Code, § 19802, subd. (a)).
(Added by Ord. No. 3390, effective 8-20-09; amended by Ord. No. 3490, effective 2-25-16; amended by Ord. No. 3648, effective 9-26-24)
Under Business and Professions Code section 19964, the issuance of a state gambling license to a person imposes no requirements upon the County to issue a license to the person. Nothing in the Gambling Control Act shall be construed to preclude the County from:
(a) 
Prohibiting any gambling activity;
(b) 
Imposing more stringent local controls or conditions upon gambling;
(c) 
Inspecting gambling premises to enforce applicable state and local laws; or
(d) 
Imposing any local tax or license fee; if the prohibition, control, condition, inspection, or fee is not inconsistent with the Gambling Control Act.
(Added by Ord. No. 3390, effective 8-20-09; amended by Ord. No. 3490, effective 2-25-16; amended by Ord. No. 3648, effective 9-26-24)
If any clause, sentence, paragraph, or part of this Chapter, for any reason, is adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, that judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder of this Chapter and the application thereof to other persons or circumstances, but shall be confined to the operation of the clause, sentence, paragraph, or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which the judgment was rendered and to the person or circumstances involved.
(Added by Ord. No. 3390, effective 8-20-09; amended by Ord. No. 3648, effective 9-26-24)
This Chapter is an exercise of the police power of the County for the protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the people of the County and shall be liberally construed to effectuate those purposes.
(Added by Ord. No. 3390, effective 8-20-09; amended by Ord. No. 3490, effective 2-25-16; amended by Ord. No. 3648, effective 9-26-24)
Any person who operates a gambling establishment within the County shall have a valid license to engage in such business issued by the State of California pursuant to the Gambling Control Act and also a valid license issued by the County. A copy of the state license application and the license shall be filed with the license collector prior to the operation of any gambling establishment. A gambling establishment license does not authorize the licensee to engage in the business of a gambling enterprise employee.
(Added by Ord. No. 3390, effective 8-20-09; amended by Ord. No. 3490, effective 2-25-16; amended by Ord. No. 3648, effective 9-26-24)
Any person that is a gambling enterprise employee within the County shall have a valid work permit or license to engage in such business issued by the County or California Gambling Control Commission.
(Added by Ord. No. 3390, effective 8-20-09; amended by Ord. No. 3490, effective 2-25-16; amended by Ord. No. 3648, effective 9-26-24)