Torrance Municipal Code Art. 1 Card Rooms and Card Schools

(Amended by O-2959; O-2960)

a) Game Room shall include game or card club, game or card school, social game or card club or any other place maintained, operated or conducted where game or card playing or instruction is conducted as the primary or as a substantial part of the activities therein, 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.

b) A Game or Card School means any place maintained, operated or conducted for the purpose of giving instructions in the playing of games of any type. The term game room shall include a game or card school.

(Amended by O-2959; O-2960; O-3451)

a) It shall be unlawful for any person to maintain, operate, conduct or carry on, directly or indirectly, any game room without a license therefor having been issued in accordance with the provisions of this Article. No license issued shall authorize the conduct of any game which is prohibited by the Penal Code of the State of California or by this Code, and any license issued in violation of such State Code or this Code shall be void.

b) The provisions of this Article do not apply to events conducted for any of the purposes set forth in Section 31.6.2, if a No Fee license is obtained, pursuant to this section and 31.6.4. In order to receive a No Fee license, an applicant must submit to the License Supervisor the information required by Sections 31.4.1(a) and 31.6.4, together with the following additional information:

1. The name of any vendor, contractor, concessionaire or caterer that the applicant intends to use during the event.

2. A Police Department "Notification of Prohibited Activity" signed by the applicant.

3. A description of the activities to be conducted during the event.

The License Supervisor will submit the application to the Chief of Police or the Chief’s designee for approval. In determining whether to approve the application, the Chief of Police will consider the willingness of the applicant to comply with all City and State laws prohibiting gambling and the public health, safety and welfare.

The License Supervisor and the Chief of Police will have fifteen (15) calendar days to deny an application from the date that a complete application is filed with the License Supervisor or the application will be deemed approved.

The License Supervisor will not approve any application that has been denied by the Chief of Police. The License Supervisor will not approve any application unless all vendors, contractors, concessionaires, or caterers participating in the event have appropriate Business Licenses and Permits. If the License Supervisor or Chief of Police deny the application or fail to issue the license, the applicant may appeal the denial to the License Review Board pursuant to Section 31.7.5.

(Amended by O-2959; O-2960)

No license shall be issued under the provisions of this Article:

a) Until the applicant has furnished the License Supervisor with an application containing 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 the applicant is a partnership, the names of all partners;

3. If the applicant is an association, the names of all members;

4. The signature of those required by the License Supervisor to be named in that application;

5. The location of any other game room 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 License Review Board only after a full investigation and report have been made by the Chief of Police, Superintendent of Building Inspection, Fire Department, and all other affected departments of City government; and

10. A statement that the applicant has read the provisions of this Article and understands the same.

b) Until the following conditions have been satisfied:

1. The application shall have been approved by the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police may recommend denial of the license for any of the following reasons:

i) The applicant is unfit to operate a game club due to a continuing course of activities which are detrimental to the public morals, health or safety;

ii) The applicant has been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude which is related in nature and in time to his qualification and fitness to own or operate a game club;

iii) The applicant has aided or abetted any crime or activity which would be grounds for discipline against the licensee under this Article;

iv) The Chief of Police shall notify the applicant of his recommendation to deny said application either personally or by mail and the reasons therefor. Thereafter, the applicant shall be entitled to a hearing on the application before the License Review Board, if applicant requests such a hearing thereon within ten (10) days of denial of the application. The hearing date shall be set for within fifteen (15) days of the communication of the request for hearing by the Board. However, if the Chief does not disapprove the application within thirty (30) days of the application (excluding any time period attributable to a delay caused by applicant in processing the application), the application shall be deemed to be approved.

2. The application shall have been approved by the Superintendent of Building Inspection, Fire Department, and all other affected departments of City government.

(Amended by O-2062; O-2129; O-2959; O-2960)

a) For purposes of clarification, the license fees set forth in this Article are for both regulations and revenue purposes.

b) Each initial application for a license hereunder shall be accompanied by an application fee in the amount of $142.00*, which shall be non-refundable and retained by the City for payment of the cost of investigating the applicants.

c) The license tax for carrying on the business of a game room shall be as required in Section 31.2.1

(Amended by O-2959; O-2960)

No license shall be transferred except as provided in this Article. When a business for which a game room license has been issued is sold or transferred, any license for a game room shall be deemed revoked and the successor or transferee shall make application for a license in the same manner as the original application.

(Amended by O-2129; O-2843; O-2959; O-2960; O-3170; O-3229; O-3354; O-3364)

A license issued for a particular location shall authorize permittee to conduct the permitted business at such location only, and such license shall not be used for conducting such business at any other location without the written consent of the License Review Board or the City Council, and without the payment of a fee of $138.001 plus $190.00 for investigation.

(Amended by O-2959; O-2960)

It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly play cards or any other game in premises for which a valid license has not been issued by the City in accordance with the provisions of this Article.

(Amended by O-2959; O-2960)

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 game room as defined herein unless a license 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 whole or in part for such purpose unless a license therefor has been issued.

(Amended by O-2193; O-2959; O-2960)

No game club shall be opened for the playing of games as defined herein and no games shall be played therein except between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 12:00 o’clock midnight.

(Amended by O-2959; O-2960)

No music or dancing shall be permitted in any game room.

(Amended by O-2959; O-2960)

No alcoholic liquor shall be possessed, sold, or consumed in any game room, with the exception of billiard rooms and bridge clubs.

(Amended by O-197; O-2649; O-2959; O-2960)

a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, no person under the age of eighteen (18) shall be present in or play in any card room.

b) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any card room solely used for the playing of duplicate bridge. For the purposes of this Section, the term duplicate bridge shall be that certain card game defined in Section 53070 of the California Government Code.

(Amended by O-2959; O-2960)

No device or equipment, other than game tables, games, and scoring devices, which could be or are used for gambling or amusement purposes, shall be kept or operated in any card room.

(Amended by O-2959; O-2960)

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 game club.

(Amended by O-2959; O-2960)

No person shall be employed or otherwise permitted to work in a game room unless a license has been issued to such person therefor. No such license shall be issued:

a) Until the applicant has furnished the License Supervisor with a statement containing the following information:

1. Name and address of applicant;

2. Record of convictions for violation of any law, except minor traffic laws;

3. Name and address of persons by whom applicant has been employed for the past five (5) years (not over five);

4. Names and addresses of three (3) responsible persons who have known applicant for more than three (3) years;

5. Fingerprints of applicant;

6. Two (2) copies of a one (1) inch square photograph of applicant taken within two (2) years from date of application, one (1) of which shall be attached to the license certificate or identification card, and the other to be retained by the License Supervisor;

7. Such other information as the License Supervisor may require.

b) Until the application shall have been approved by the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police may recommend denial of the license for any one or more of the following reasons:

1. The applicant is unfit to be employed in a game club due to a continuing course of activities which are detrimental to the public morals or safety;

2. The applicant has been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude which is related in nature and in time to his qualifications and fitness to be employed in a game club;

3. The applicant has aided or abetted any crime or activity which would be grounds for discipline against a licensee under this Article.

c) The Chief of Police shall notify the applicant of his recommendation to deny said application either personally or by mail and the reasons therefor.

d) The applicant shall be entitled to a hearing on the application before the License Review Board, if applicant requests a hearing thereon within ten (10) days of denial of the application. The hearing date shall be set for within fifteen (15) days of the communication of the request for hearing by the Board.

e) If the Chief does not disapprove the application within thirty (30) days of the application (excluding any time period attributable to a delay caused by the applicant in processing the application), the application shall be deemed to be approved.

(Added by O-2959; O-2960)

No license under this Section shall be issued or granted to any person to operate, maintain, conduct or carry on any game room, card club or social club, as defined herein, in any building or premises which has more than one (1) door to be unlocked to gain admission to any room therein, or which has an entrance equipped with a transparent mirror, other polarized material or controlled lighting, whereby persons outside cannot see inside, or which has any kind of sound or sight signal system which can be used to warn or give warning of the presence of any police officer to any person or persons in or about such premises.