Culver City Municipal Code Ch. 11.06 Games, Amusements and Entertainments

Section

General Provisions

Card Rooms

Cross-reference:

Gambling, see §§ 13.01.100 - 13.01.135

Minors, see §§ 13.03.100 - 13.03.150

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, a no-fee license permitting bingo games shall be issued by the City Treasurer pursuant to § 11.01.230 and shall remain in effect subject to the following conditions:

A. The organization or association being issued the permit is of the type designated in Cal. Penal Code § 326.5(a).

B. The organization or association shall comply with Cal. Penal Code § 326.5 and shall furnish information showing that the bingo games will be conducted in compliance with Cal. Penal Code § 326.5 and all applicable zoning, building and fire regulations.

C. The license shall be renewable annually and shall be valid only during such time as the organization or association is in compliance with the provisions of this Section and Cal. Penal Code § 326.5.

('65 Code, § 23-20.A) (Ord. No. CS-870 § 1; Ord. No. CS-1020 § 1)

Cross-reference:

Charitable solicitations, see Ch. 11.05

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation, required to be licensed or otherwise regulated under the provisions of Chapter 11.01 of this Code, to conduct or in any manner participate in dancing or musical type entertainment of any kind between the hours of 2:00 a.m. of one day and 6:00 a.m. of the same day, except by a special permit for one day only, issued by the City.

('65 Code, § 23-40) (Ord. No. CS-548; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

CARD ROOMS

For the purpose of this Subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.

CARD ROOM. Includes card club, social card club or any other place maintained, operated or conducted for the principal purpose of furnishing a place where members or guests or other persons play card games of any nature, and where;

1. A fee is charged either as membership dues for admission to such place or for the privilege of playing at cards; or

2. Any collection or donation of money is made or received.

CARD SCHOOL. Any place maintained, operated or conducted for the purpose of giving instructions in the playing of card games of any type.

PERSON. Person, firm, association, co-partnership, joint venture, and corporation, whether acting as principal or agent, manager, clerk, employee or servant, either for or on behalf of himself or for any other person, firm, association, co-partnership, joint venture, corporation, or other entity owning, operating, or proposing to operate a card room or card school in the City.

('65 Code, § 10-1)

It shall be unlawful for any person to maintain, operate, conduct or carry on, directly or indirectly, any card room or card school without a permit therefor having been issued in accordance with the provisions of this Subchapter. No permit issued shall authorize the conduct of any card game which is prohibited by the Cal. Penal Code or any provision of §§ 13.01.100 et seq. of this Code prohibiting gambling or any other law of this City, and any permit issued in violation of such state code or ordinance or law shall be void.

('65 Code, § 10-2)

No permit shall be required for any non-profit organization operating within the City at the time of the adoption of this Subchapter and which has been in operation for two (2) years prior thereto, nor to any card school or club operated by any governmental agency.

('65 Code, § 10-3)

A. In addition to the requirements for an application as set forth in §§ 11.01.300 through 11.01.370 of this Code, the application shall comply with the following:

1. If the applicant is a corporation, the names of any person owning more than twenty (20%) percent of the stock;

• 2. If a partnership, the names of all partners;
• 3. If an association, the names of all members;
• 4. Such application shall be signed by those required to be named in the application;

5. The application shall state the location of any other card room or card school operated by the applicant or in which the applicant or any person signing the application has an interest;

6. The number of tables or other units to be placed, employed, or used;

7. The description of any other business conducted or proposed to be conducted at the same location;

8. A description of the building in which the business proposed to be permitted and licensed is to be housed, giving the dimensions and type of construction;

9. A statement that the applicant understands that the application shall be considered by the City and the City Council only after a full investigation and report have been made by the Chief of Police, Building Official, Fire Department, and all other affected departments of City Government; and

10. A statement that the applicant has read the provisions of this Section, and the other Sections of Chapter 11.01 referred to herein, and understands the same.

B. The procedure for processing applications, including appeals, shall be as designated in §§ 11.01.300 through 11.01.370 of this Code.

('65 Code, § 10-4) (Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

A. For purposes of clarification, the license fees as defined in this Subchapter are for both regulation and revenue purposes. Each application for a permit hereunder shall be accompanied by fees and deposits, as established by City Council resolution, payable to the City.

1. An application fee shall be non-refundable and retained by the City for payment of the costs of investigating the applicants;

2. The permit fee shall be the property of, and retained by, the City in the event the permit and license applied for are issued, but which shall be returned to the applicant if such permit and license are not issued; and

B. In the event a license and permit are granted, additional fees, as established by City Council resolution, shall be payable to the City by the permittee quarterly in advance.

('65 Code, § 10-5) (Ord. No. 2007-002 § 14)

Cross-reference:

General licensing, see Chapter 11.01

No permit shall be transferred. When a business for which a permit has been issued is sold or transferred, any permit for a card room or card school shall be deemed revoked and the successor or transferee shall make application for a permit in the same manner as the original application.

('65 Code, § 10-6)

Any person who knowingly plays cards for money in a premises which does not have a valid license and permit issued by the City of Culver City in accordance with the provisions hereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by a fine of not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or by imprisonment in the County Jail for not more than six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

('65 Code, § 10-7)

A permit issued for a particular location shall authorize the permittee to conduct the permitted business at such location only, and such permit shall not be used for conducting such business at any other location without the written consent of the City Manager or their designee or the City Council, and without the payment of a fee as established by City Council resolution.

('65 Code, § 10-8) (Ord. No. 2007-002 § 15; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

In addition to grounds for revocation otherwise specified in this Subchapter and § 11.01.355 of this Code, any permit issued under this Subchapter may be revoked for the violation of any of the provisions hereof.

('65 Code, § 10-9)

A. Premises. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, conduct or maintain within the City any house, room, apartment, office or place used for a card room or card school as defined herein unless a permit therefor has been issued, and it shall be unlawful for any person to permit any house, room, apartment, office or place owned by him or under his charge or control to be used in the whole or in part for such purpose unless a permit therefor has been issued.

('65 Code, § 10-10)

B. Hours of operation. No card club shall be opened for the playing of cards therein and no cards shall be played therein except between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 12:00 o'clock midnight.

('65 Code, § 10-11)

• C. Music, dancing, alcoholic liquor prohibited.

• 1. No music or dancing shall be permitted in any card room.
• 2. No alcoholic liquor shall be possessed, sold, or consumed on the premises.

('65 Code, § 10-12)

D. Minors prohibited. No person under the age of twenty-one (21) years shall be present in or play in any card room.

('65 Code, § 10-13)

E. Permitted equipment. No device or equipment, other than card tables, cards, and scoring devices, which can be or are used for gambling or amusement purposes, shall be kept or operated in any card room or card school.

('65 Code, § 10-14)

F. Membership fees and other charges to be conspicuously posted. All membership fees, playing fees or charges, as well as prices of refreshments and food offered shall be posted conspicuously in all rooms of the card room or card school.

('65 Code, § 10-15) (Ord. No. CS-49; Ord. No. CS-488)

G. Duplicate bridge club card rooms. Nothing in this Subchapter shall be applicable to duplicate bridge club card rooms.

('65 Code, § 10-16) (Ord. No. CS-788 § 1 (part))