Colfax Municipal Code Ch. 5.20 Card Rooms

For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:

"Card room" means any space, room or enclosure, furnished or equipped with a table, used or intended to be used, as a card table for the playing of cards, the use of which is available to the public or any portion of the public.

"Employee" means a dealer, manager or any other person directly connected with the operation and supervision of a card table.

"Person financially interested in such business" means and includes any person who shares in the profits of the business on the basis of gross or net revenue.

(Prior code § 5-2.01

Each employee shall secure an identity card from the chief of police. Such card shall be valid for one year after the date of issuance and shall be renewed annually.

(Prior code § 5-2.09)

Applications for the identity cards required by the provisions of this chapter shall be submitted in writing under oath and shall contain the past criminal record, if any, of the applicant, a physical description of the applicant and such information as may be deemed by the chief of police to be necessary to determine whether the applicant is a proper person to be issued such identity card. At the time of the filing of such application, the applicant shall submit to fingerprinting by the chief of police.

(Prior code § 5-2.10)

The chief of police shall deny the application for the identity card required by the provisions of this chapter if:

A. The applicant has previously been convicted of any narcotics violation, a felony involving theft or any crime involving moral turpitude within the past ten (10) years; or

B. The applicant is not, in the opinion of the chief of police, a person of good moral character.

(Prior code § 5-2.11)

The action of the chief of police in denying an application for the identity card required by the provisions of this chapter on the basis of the applicant not being a person of good moral character shall be subject to an appeal to the council. Notice of such appeal shall be filed in writing with the city clerk within ten (10) days after the denial of the application.

(Prior code § 5-2.12)

The chief of police shall have the right for cause to suspend, revoke or take possession of any employee's identity card issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Any of the grounds upon which the chief of police shall be required to refuse an initial card room employee's identity card shall also constitute grounds for such suspension or revocation. In addition, the failure of a holder of a card room employee's identity card to comply with the provisions of this chapter shall also constitute grounds for the suspension or revocation of such permit or identity card. Such action of the chief of police shall be subject to an appeal to the council. Notice of such appeal shall be filed in writing with the city clerk within ten (10) days after such suspension or revocation. Upon the failure to file such notice of appeal within such ten (10) day period, the action of the chief of police shall be final and conclusive.

(Prior code § 5-2.13)

It is unlawful to operate a card room in violation of any of the following rules and regulations:

A. Not more than two card rooms shall be located at any one premises and there shall be not more than five card tables in any one card room.

B. Card rooms shall be located and so arranged that the card tables and players at the card tables shall be plainly visible from the door opening to the card room. No wall, partition, screen or similar structure between the card room door opening and any card table located in the card room shall be permitted if such wall, partition, screen or similar structure interferes with such visibility.

C. No person under the age of twenty-one (21) years shall be allowed in any card room during operating hours.

D. Card rooms may be open seven days a week, twenty-four (24) hours per day; except that in all events the card room shall close for a twenty-four (24) hour period from Sunday at six a.m. until the following Monday at six a.m.

E. All card rooms shall be open to police inspection at all times.

F. All card room doors shall be unlocked and accessible to the general public during operating hours.

G. Operators and employees shall be required to exhibit their permits or identity cards on the demand of any law enforcement officer.

H. It is unlawful to permit or conduct any game of chance in any card room or at any card table prohibited by the laws of the state.

I. It is unlawful to fail to maintain on the outside of all doors leading to any card room a sign not less than six inches by twelve (12) inches on which is printed the words "No person under the age of twenty-one years is permitted in this room."

(Prior code § 5-2.14)

Any house or building in which any card room or card table is operated, conducted or maintained in violation of the provisions of this chapter or for the purpose of evading the provisions of this chapter is declared to be a public nuisance and may be abated as such as provided by the laws of the state for the abatement of public nuisances.

(Prior code § 5-2.15)