Sonoma County Municipal Code § 4-15 Registration of employees — Required

No person shall permit or suffer gambling of any type lawful under the laws of the State of California to be conducted in any premises owned, possessed, or controlled by him within the unincorporated area of the County of Sonoma, California, without a current gambling license valid under this article.

(Ord. No. 5151 § 1, 1999: Ord. No. 2038 § 1.)

No individual shall act as operator or dealer in any premises licensed for gambling hereunder without a current dealer's permit, valid under this article. No one shall be issued a permit who is disqualified from holding a state gambling license pursuant to the Business and Professions Code Section 19850. No permit shall be issued to an individual if the division of gambling control objects to the issuance of the permit to that individual.

(Ord. No. 5151 § 2, 1999: Ord. Nos. 203, 2971 § 1.)

As used in this article, the following words shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this section:

a. "Person" means and includes individual, partnership, corporation, association, club, firm or entity of any character whatsoever.

b. "Dealer" means any individual dealing a gambling game or who operates or manages said game or games on the premises licensed hereunder.

c. "Gaming licensee" means any person or persons who are currently licensed under this article.

d. "Gambling" means the playing for chips representing money of those card games which are not outlawed by California statutory law or the Sonoma County Code.

e. "Sheriff" means the sheriff of Sonoma County or his authorized deputy.

f. A "propositional player" is an individual who receives compensation from a gaming licensee to function as a player.

(Ord. No. 5151 § 3, 1999: Ord. No. 2971 § 2.)

It shall be unlawful for:

a. Any propositional player or licensed dealer, to function as a player for the cardroom without identifying that fact by wearing an identification badge;

b. An individual to act as dealer, or operator in a cardroom without a valid dealer's permit;

c. An individual not employed by the licensee to act as dealer or operator in a cardroom;

d. An individual under age twenty-one (21) to act as a dealer, or operator in a cardroom;

e. Any game to be played at an unlicensed table in a cardroom;

f. Any game to be played at any table where a licensed dealer is not present at all times at the table;

g. An individual who has been convicted of any felony to be employed in any capacity in a cardroom;

h. Any individual to be employed in any capacity in a cardroom without undergoing and passing a background check, as directed by the sheriff;

i. Any gambling games declared illegal under the laws of the state of California to be played in a cardroom;

j. Pai Gow to be played under any circumstances in a cardroom;

k. Any employee to play any game in a cardroom, except as provided in subsection a of this section while in the course of their employment;

l. Any player to wager in excess of five hundred dollars ($500.00) per individual bet. No-limit and high-limit bets may be allowed in designated tournament game areas and only during authorized tournaments. In no other case shall individual bets higher than five hundred dollars ($500.00) be allowed in poker games, nor shall bets higher than two hundred dollars ($200.00) be allowed in California blackjack games. The player bank may cover the bets which are provided for in this section.

(Ord. No. 5151 § 4, 1999: Ord. No. 2971 § 2.)

No gaming licensee shall permit or suffer in any licensed premises:

a. Gambling on credit or for anything of value other than chips representing cash or lawful money of the United States;

b. Gambling by an individual noticeably under the influence of intoxicants or drugs of any kind;

c. Gambling by any individual under twenty-one (21) years of age;

d. Gambling between the hours of 4:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. the same day; provided, however, that gambling may occur twenty-four (24) hours a day between 9:00 a.m. Friday and 4:00 a.m. on the following Monday. The gaming licensee shall be responsible for all security on the licensed premises as it applies to the gaming tables and customers. The sheriff may require that a qualified uniformed security guard be present between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

(Ord. No. 5151 § 5, 1999.)