Sonora Municipal Code § 9.34 Cardrooms

For the purposes of this chapter, "cardroom" means and includes any room in which there are card tables used, kept or intended for use in the playing of any kind of legal card game where the same is conducted as a business or in connection with a business.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

It is unlawful for any person to conduct, operate, carry on, or permit to be carried on, the business of any cardroom without first having obtained a license therefor. It is unlawful for any person to be an employee in such cardroom without a current permit. It is unlawful to operate any table for a legal card game, without that table being currently licensed.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

Every person desiring to conduct, operate, or carry on a business of a cardroom, or be an employee of such business, shall make a written application to the chief of police for a license to do so, on forms provided by the police department. The chief of police shall cause a complete background investigation to be conducted on the applicant and of the premises, with due consideration to the premises as to public safety.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

Upon the satisfactory completion of the background investigation, the chief of police may, in his/her discretion, issue the license, subject to such conditions as deemed reasonable, or refuse to issue the license. The chief of police shall be the sole judge of the sufficiency of whether the issuance or denial of the license is detrimental to the public interest and to the public health, morals, general welfare or the public peace. The decision of the police chief may be appealed to the city administrator by filing a written appeal to the city administrator within ten calendar days.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

No license shall be issued to any cardroom that is located within one hundred feet of any school, playground, hospital, church or similar area. Special exemptions may be made by the chief of police after a finding having been made that the cardroom will pose no threat to the safety, health or welfare of the neighboring institution.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

Cardrooms shall be permitted to operate twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week. Hours of operation shall be clearly posted in order to provide patrons adequate notice of the hours during which the establishment will remain open for business.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

Every cardroom licensee in the city shall be required to provide a safe and secure environment for their patrons. In conformance with existing state and local laws, smoking shall be prohibited at all times within a cardroom.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

Wagers shall not exceed four hundred dollars on any given bet. No wager may be made using the cardroom's money. The owner of a cardroom shall be required to clearly post wagering limits to give patrons adequate notice of the rules relating to wagering.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

A maximum of one gambling table is allowed for each three hundred square feet of floor space, and no more than three gambling tables shall be permitted within any single gambling establishment. The total number of gambling tables permitted within the city shall be set at six. The temporary use of gambling tables in tournaments and other special events shall be regulated as stated above. Upon making application to the chief of police, a temporary permit shall be issued to the group, club or organization making the request. The temporary use of gambling tables shall be regulated in the same manner as defined for cardrooms in general.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

The license for a cardroom shall be twenty-five dollars per table per year (plus actual expenses incurred for Department of Justice services). All license fees shall be payable in advance and no part shall be refundable. No cardroom license issued hereunder shall be transferable, provided however, that it may be moved to a new location with the approval of the chief of police.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

Any person who operates a cardroom after the expiration date of the license and fails to renew such license shall be subject to a penalty of twenty-five dollars per day. This penalty fee shall be added to the sum and total of the license fee.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

The license may be revoked at any time by the chief of police, if, in his/her judgment, such action is necessary to protect the health, safety or welfare of the public.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

The licensee may appeal the revocation of a license by filing a written appeal with the city administrator within ten calendar days of the action by the chief of police. The city administrator shall hear the appeal and shall affirm or revoke the action within ten calendar days from receipt of the appeal. The decision of the city administrator is final. If the licensee does not appeal within the ten calendar day period, the revocation of the license shall be final and conclusive.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

All persons employed by a cardroom shall be required to obtain a permit from the chief of police. The application for a work permit shall be accompanied by a full set of the applicant's fingerprints to be submitted to the Department of Justice for a criminal history background check. The chief of police shall issue the permit only if in his judgment and after thorough investigation, the applicant is of good moral character. The permit shall be valid for a period of one year and shall be renewable after each one year period. There shall be a fifteen-dollar application fee (plus actual expenses incurred for Department of Justice services) for the original permit and a fifteen-dollar fee for the renewal thereafter.

(Ord. 737 (part), 1998.)

The chief of police may refuse to issue or revoke the permit of a cardroom employee or dealer at any time, if in his/her judgment, such action is necessary. A person whose application for a permit is denied or a person whose permit is revoked may appeal the action of the chief of police to the city administrator in accordance with the procedure set forth in Section 9.34.130.

A. Limitation of Discretion to Issue Work Permit. In addition to any other restrictions provided by law, no work permit shall be issued to anyone who is disqualified from holding a state gambling license, for any of the reasons specified in Business and Professions Code Section 19850.

B. Denial of an Application for a Work Permit. Any application for a work permit shall be subject to objection by the state.

(Ord. 737 (part), 1998.)

Every operator or owner of a cardroom shall be subject to all provisions Chapter 5.10, Business Licenses, of the Sonora Municipal Code.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)

Any person violating this chapter or any provision thereof is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished as provided in Section 1.08.010.

(Ord. 735 (part), 1998.)