[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City of Beacon 1-17-1977 (Art. III of Ch. 5 of the 1972 Code of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Amusements — See Ch. 83.
The City Council finds the raising of funds for the promotion of bona fide charitable, educational, scientific, health, religious, patriotic and other worthy causes, where the beneficiaries are undetermined, to be in the public interest and that the mandate of § 9 of Article 1 of the Constitution of the State of New York, as amended, should be carried out by rigid regulations to prevent commercialized gambling, prevent participation by criminal and other undesirable elements and prevent the diversion of funds from the purposes herein authorized.
This chapter is subject and subordinate to all the conditions and provisions contained in Article 9-A of the General Municipal Law, and amendments thereto, and any and all rules and regulations and opinions adopted or to be adopted by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board.
A. 
As used in this chapter, the terms "authorized games of chance lessor," "authorized organization," "authorized supplier of games of chance equipment," "games of chance," "lawful purposes," "net lease," "net proceeds," "one occasion" and "prize" shall have the meanings designated in the definitions set forth in Article 9-A of the General Municipal Law.
B. 
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CITY CLERK
The City Clerk of the City of Beacon and, for the purposes of this chapter, the chief law enforcement officer thereof.
CITY COUNCIL
The City Council of the City of Beacon.
LICENSED PERIOD
A period of time not to exceed 14 consecutive hours.
OFFICER
The City Clerk of the City of Beacon, or a Deputy City Clerk, shall be the officer designated in Article 9-A of the General Municipal Law as the chief law enforcement officer of this municipality.
STATE BOARD
The New York State Racing and Wagering Board.
C. 
Words singular in form may include the plural, and words plural in form may include the singular, and words in the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter genders.
The City Clerk is hereby delegated the authority granted to the City Council by Article 9-A of the General Municipal Law entitled "Local Option for Conduct of Games of Chance by Certain Organizations," in relation to the issuance, amendment and cancellation of licenses, the conduct of investigations and hearings and the collection and transmission of fees.
No person, firm, association, corporation or organization other than an authorized organization licensed under the provisions of this chapter shall be permitted to conduct games of chance within the territorial limits of the City of Beacon.
A. 
Each applicant for a license, after obtaining an identification number from the State Board, shall file with the City Clerk a written application therefor in a form to be prescribed by the State Board or the City Clerk, duly executed and verified, in which shall be stated:
(1) 
The name and address of the applicant, together with sufficient facts relating to its incorporation and organization to enable the City Clerk to determine whether or not it is a bona fide authorized organization.
(2) 
The names and addresses of its officers and the place where and the date and time when the applicant intends to conduct games of chance under the license applied for.
(3) 
The amount of rent to be paid or other consideration to be given directly or indirectly for each occasion for use of the premises of another authorized organization licensed under this chapter to conduct games of chance or for the use of the premises of an authorized games of chance lessor.
(4) 
All other items of expense intended to be incurred or paid in connection with the holding, operating and conducting of games of chance and the names and addresses of the persons to whom and the purposes for which they are to be paid.
(5) 
The purposes to which the entire net proceeds of the games of chance are to be devoted and in what manner and that no commission, salary, compensation, reward or recompense will be paid to any person for conducting games of chance or for assisting therein, except as otherwise provided in Article 9-A of the General Municipal Law,
(6) 
That no member of the applicant has ever been convicted of a crime or, if convicted, that he has received a pardon or a certificate of good conduct.
(7) 
Any other information as shall be prescribed by the rules and regulations promulgated by the State Board.
B. 
In each application there shall be designated not fewer than four active members of the applicant organization under whom the games of chance will be conducted, and to the application shall be appended a statement executed by the members so designated that they will be responsible for the conduct of the games of chance in accordance with the terms of the license, Article 9-A of the General Municipal Law, the provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations of the State Board.
C. 
Each applicant for a license to lease premises to a licensed organization for the purposes of conducting games of chance therein shall file with the City Clerk a written application therefor in a form to be prescribed by the State Board or the City Clerk, duly executed and verified, which shall set forth the name and address of the applicant; designation and address of the premises intended to be covered by the license sought; a statement that the applicant in all respects conform to the specifications contained in the definition of "authorized organization" set forth in Article 9-A of the General Municipal Law; and any other information as shall be prescribed by the State Board and the provisions of this chapter.
A. 
No person, firm, association, corporation or organization other than a licensee under the provisions of this chapter shall conduct a game of chance or shall lease or otherwise make available for conducting games of chance a hall or other premises for any consideration whatsoever, directly or indirectly, except as provided in § 127-6 of this chapter.
B. 
No game of chance shall be held, operated or conducted on or within any leased premises if rental under such lease is to be paid wholly or partly on the basis of a percentage of the receipts or net profits derived from the operation of a game of chance.
C. 
No authorized organization licensed under the provisions of this chapter shall purchase or receive any supplies or equipment specifically designed or adapted for use in the conduct of games of chance from other than an authorized supplier of games of chance equipment licensed by the State Board or from another authorized organization.
D. 
The entire net proceeds of any game of chance and of any rental shall be exclusively devoted to the lawful purposes of the organization permitted to conduct the same.
E. 
No prize shall exceed the sum or value of $100 in any operation or conducting of a single game of chance. No single wager shall exceed $10.
F. 
No series of prizes on any one occasion of games of chance shall aggregate more than $1,000.
G. 
No person, except a bona fide member of any authorized organization, its auxiliary or affiliated organization, shall participate in the management or operation of a game of chance, as set forth in § 127-13 of this chapter.
H. 
No person shall receive any remuneration for participating in the management or operation of any game of chance.
I. 
The conduct of games of chance on Sunday is only permitted when it is specifically provided for in the license issued. No games of chance, however, shall be conducted on Easter Sunday, Christmas Day or New Year's Eve.
J. 
No hall or other premises shall be used for the conduct of games of chance unless said hall or premises, where applicable, complies with the provisions of Subpart 36 of Title 12 of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations and the provisions of Chapter 11, Building Inspector; Chapter 91, Unsafe Buildings; Chapter 107, Environmental Quality Review; and Chapter 119, Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, of the Code of the City of Beacon.
[Amended 7-6-2010 by L.L. No. 10-2010]
A. 
The City Clerk shall make an investigation of the qualifications of each applicant and the merits of each application with due expedition after the filing of the application.
B. 
If the City Clerk shall determine that the applicant is duly qualified to be licensed to conduct games of chance under this chapter, that the member of the applicant designated in the application to conduct games of chance is a bona fide active member of the applicant and is a person of good moral character and has never been convicted of a crime or, if convicted, has received a pardon or a certificate of good conduct, that such games of chance are to be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the State Board and that the proceeds thereof are to be disposed of as provided by this chapter, and if the City Clerk is satisfied that no commission, salary, compensation, reward or recompense whatsoever shall be paid or given to any person holding, operating, conducting or assisting in holding, operating or conducting any games of chance, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, that no prize will be given in excess of the sum or value of $100 in any single game of chance and that the aggregate of all prizes given on one occasion under said license shall not exceed the sum or value of $1,000, then the City Clerk shall issue a license to the applicant for the conduct of games of chance, upon payment of a license fee as set forth in the City of Beacon fee schedule[1] for each license period.
[1]
Editor's Note: The fee schedule is on file in the City offices.
C. 
If the City Clerk shall determine that the applicant seeking to lease a hall or premises for the conduct of games of chance to an authorized organization is duly qualified to be licensed under this chapter and that the applicant satisfies the requirements for an authorized games of chance lessor as defined in Article 9-A of the General Municipal Law, and if the City Clerk shall find and determine that there is a public need and that a public advantage will be served by the issuance of the license, that the applicant has filed its proposed rent for each game of chance occasion, that there is no diversion of the funds of the proposed lessee from the lawful purposes as defined in Article 9-A of the General Municipal Law and that the leasing of a hall or premises for the conduct of games of chance is to be in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the State Board, then he shall issue a license permitting the applicant to lease said premises for the conduct of games of chance to the authorized organization set forth in the application during the period therein specified or such shorter period as the City Clerk shall determine, but not to exceed one year, upon payment of a license fee as set forth in the City of Beacon fee schedule.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: The fee schedule is on file in the City offices.
D. 
Under this chapter, no license shall be issued which shall be effective for a period of more than one year.
A. 
No application for the issuance of a license to an authorized organization shall be denied by the City Clerk until a hearing is held, upon due notice to the applicant, at which time the applicant shall be entitled to be heard upon its qualifications and the merits of the application.
B. 
Any applicant for or holder of any license hereunder aggrieved by any action of the City Clerk to whom an application has been made or by whom a license has been issued may appeal to the State Board from the determination of the City Clerk by filing with the City Clerk a written notice of appeal within 30 days after the determination or action appealed from; and, upon the hearing of such appeal, the evidence, if any, taken before the City Clerk and any additional evidence may be produced and shall be considered in arriving at a determination of the matters in issue. The action of the State Board upon said appeal shall be binding upon the City Clerk and all parties to said appeal.
C. 
Any license issued hereunder may be amended upon application to the City Clerk if the subject matter of the proposed amendment could lawfully and properly have been included in the original license and upon payment of any additional license fee as would have been payable if it had been so included.
A. 
Each license to conduct games of chance shall be in a form as shall be prescribed in the rules and regulations promulgated by the State Board or the City Clerk and shall contain a statement of the name and address of the licensee, the name and address of each member of the licensee under whom the games of chance shall be conducted, of the place where and the date and time when the games of chance are to be conducted and of the purposes to which the entire net proceeds of the games of chance are to be devoted. If any prizes are to be given in cash, a statement of the amounts of the prizes authorized so to be given and any other information which may be required by said rules and regulations shall be contained herein. Each license issued for the conduct of any games of chance shall be conspicuously displayed at the place where same is to be conducted at all times during the conduct thereof.
B. 
Each license to lease premises for conducting games of chance will be in a form as shall be prescribed in the rules and regulations of the State Board or the City Clerk and shall contain a statement of the name and address of the licensee and the address of the leased premises, the amount of permissible rent and any other information which may be required by said rules and regulations. Each license shall be conspicuously displayed upon the premises at all times during the conduct of the games of chance.
A. 
The officer shall have and exercise rigid control and close supervision over all games of chance conducted under each license, to the end that the same are fairly conducted in accordance with the provisions of said license, the provisions of this chapter and the provisions of the rules and regulations promulgated by the State Board. The officer and the State Board shall have the power and authority to temporarily suspend any license issued by the City Clerk, pending a hearing. The officer and State Board shall have the right of entry, by their respective officers and agents, at all times, into any premises where any game of chance is being conducted or intended to be conducted or where any equipment being used or intended to be used in the conduct thereof is found, for the purpose of inspecting same. An agent of the appropriate officer shall make an on-site inspection during the conduct of all games of chance licensed pursuant to this chapter.
B. 
Subject to the applicable provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, beer may be offered for sale during the conduct of games of chance, but the offering of all other alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
A. 
Within seven days after the conclusion of any licensed period, the authorized organization which conducted the games of chance and its members who were in charge thereof and, when applicable, the authorized organization which rented its premises therefor shall each furnish to the City Clerk a statement subscribed by the member in charge and affirmed by him as true, under the penalties of perjury, showing the amount of the gross receipts derived therefrom; each item of expense incurred or paid; each item of expenditure made or to be made other than prizes; the name and address of each person to whom each item of expense has been paid, or is to be paid, with a detailed description of the merchandise purchased or the services rendered therefor; the net proceeds derived from the conduct of the games of chance during the license period; the use to which such proceeds have been or are to be applied; and a list of the prizes and the values thereof offered and given. It shall be the duty of each licensee to maintain and keep such books and records as may be necessary to substantiate the particulars of each statement of receipts.
B. 
Upon filing the statement of receipts, the authorized organization furnishing same shall pay to the City Clerk as and for an additional fee a sum of 5% of the net proceeds, if any, for the licensed period covered by the statement and determined in accordance with the schedule as shall be established from time to time by the State Board or the City Clerk to defray the actual cost to the City of Beacon of administering the provisions of this chapter.
C. 
The City Clerk and the State Board shall have the power to examine or cause to be examined the books and records of the following, and any information so received shall not be disclosed, except for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter:
(1) 
Any authorized organization which is or has been licensed to conduct games of chance, so far as they may relate to games of chance, including the maintenance, control and disposition of the net proceeds derived from games of chance or from the use of its premises for games of chance, and to examine any manager, officer, director, agent, member or employee thereof, under oath, in relation to the conduct of any games of chance under any license, the use of its premises for games of chance or the disposition of the net proceeds derived from games of chance, as the case may be.
(2) 
Any authorized games of chance lessor so far as the same may relate to leasing premises for games of chance and to examine said lessor or any manager, officer, director, agent or employee thereof, under oath, in relation to said leasing.
A. 
No person under the age of 18 years shall be permitted to play any game of chance conducted pursuant to any license issued under this chapter.
B. 
No games of chance shall be conducted under any license issued under this chapter more often than 12 times in any calendar year. Games shall be conducted only between the hours of 12:00 noon and 12:00 midnight on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; only between the hours of 12:00 noon Friday and 2:00 a.m. Saturday; and only between the hours of 12:00 noon Saturday and 2:00 a.m. Sunday. The 2:00 a.m. closing period shall also apply to a legal holiday.
C. 
No person shall operate or conduct any games of chance under any license issued under this chapter, except an active member of the authorized organization to which the license is issued; and no person shall assist in the holding, operating or conducting of any games of chance under any license, except an active member or a member of an organization or association which is an auxiliary to the licensee or a member of an organization or association of which such licensee is an auxiliary or member of an organization or association which is affiliated with the licensee by being, with it, auxiliary to another organization or association. At least two officers, directors, trustees or clergy of the authorized organization shall, upon request, certify under oath that the persons assisting in holding, operating or conducting any game of chance are bona fide members of such authorized organization, auxiliary or affiliated organization.
D. 
No games of chance shall be conducted with any equipment, except that owned or leased by the authorized organization so licensed, or used without payment of any compensation therefor by the licensee.
E. 
No items of expense shall be incurred or paid in connection with the conducting of any game of chance pursuant to any license issued under this chapter except those that are reasonable and are necessarily expended for games of chance supplies and equipment; prizes; stated rental, if any; bookkeeping or accounting services according to a schedule of compensation prescribed by the State Board; janitorial services and utility supplies, if any; license fees and the cost of bus transportation, if authorized by the officer.
F. 
Not more than $2 shall be charged by any licensee for admission to any room or place in which any games of chance are to be conducted under any license issued under this chapter. Every winner shall be determined and every prize shall be awarded and delivered on the same calendar day as the game was played.
G. 
No games of chance conducted or to be conducted in the City of Beacon shall be advertised as to its location, the time when it is to be or has been played, the prizes awarded or to be awarded or transportation facilities to be provided to such games, by means of newspaper, radio, television or sound trucks or by means of billboards, posters or handbills or by any other means addressed to the general public, except that one sign not exceeding 60 square feet in area may be displayed on or adjacent to the premises owned or occupied by a licensed authorized organization; and, when an organization is licensed to conduct games of chance on premises of an authorized games of chance lessor, one additional such sign may be displayed on or adjacent to the premises in which the games are to be conducted. Additional signs may be displayed upon any fire-fighting equipment belonging to any licensee which is a volunteer fire company or upon any first-aid or rescue squad in and throughout the community or communities served by such volunteer fire company or such first-aid or rescue squad.
H. 
No person, association, corporation or organization lawfully conducted or participating in the conduct of games of chance or permitting the conduct upon any premises owned or leased by him or it under any license issued hereunder shall be liable to prosecution or conviction for violation of any provision of Article 225 of the Penal Law or any other law or ordinance to the extent that such conduct is specifically authorized by this chapter. However, this immunity shall not extend to any person or corporation knowingly conducting or participating in the conduct of games of chance under any license obtained by any false pretense or by any false statement made in any application for a license, or otherwise, or permitting the conduct upon any premises owned or leased by him or it of any game of chance conducted under any license known to him or it to have been obtained by any such false pretense or statement.
I. 
Any person, association, corporation or organization who or which shall make any material false statement in any application for any license issued pursuant to this chapter, shall pay or receive a rental in excess of the amount specified as the permissible rent in the license provided for in § 127-6 for the use of any premises for conducting games of chance, shall fail to keep such books and records as shall fully and truly record all transactions connected with the conducting of games of chance or the leasing of premises to be used for the conduct of games of chance, shall falsify or make any false entry in any books or records so far as they relate in any manner to the conduct of games of chance, to the disposition of the proceeds thereof and to the application of the rents received by any authorized organization or shall divert or pay any portion of the net proceeds of any game of chance to any person, association or corporation, except in furtherance of one or more of the lawful purposes defined in this chapter, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall forfeit any license issued under this chapter and be ineligible to apply for a license under this chapter for at least one year thereafter.
J. 
Any person, association, corporation or organization holding, operating or conducting games of chance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, except when operating, holding or conducting:
(1) 
In accordance with a valid license issued pursuant to this chapter.
(2) 
On behalf of a bona fide organization of persons 60 years of age or over, commonly referred to as "senior citizens," solely for the purpose of amusement and recreation of it members where:
(a) 
The organization has applied for and received an identification number from the State Board.
(b) 
No player or other person furnishes anything of value for the opportunity to participate.
(c) 
The prizes awarded or to be awarded are nominal.
(d) 
No person other than a bona fide active member of the organization participates in the conduct of the games of chance.
(e) 
No person is paid for conducting or assisting in the conduct of the games of chance.
K. 
No alcoholic beverage, with the exception of beer, shall be sold at any games of chance.
L. 
No alcoholic beverage shall be offered or given as a prize in any games of chance.
M. 
The unauthorized conduct of a game of chance shall constitute and be punishable as a misdemeanor.