Ventura Municipal Code Art. 4 Business Procedures

Any card room permitted to operate within the city is subject to the following:

A. No card room will be expanded or extended into any other portion of the property where it is situated, or any additional tables added as authorized under Section 10.750.430, without first obtaining major design approval for a comprehensive plan for upgrading the exterior design of the card room, including colors and materials, landscaping, and signage, through the design review procedures contained in Chapter 24.545.

B. No card room will be moved or transferred to any other location within the city except with the prior approval of the city council.

C. The only games and activities that can be played and engaged in at any permitted card room are exclusively limited to those that are approved by the state of California for play in the card room.

D. The card room must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. (Ord. No. 2006-006, § 2, 4-3-06; Ord. No. 2009-001, § 2, 1-12-09; Ord. No. 2014-004, § 3, 4-28-14)

It shall be unlawful and a misdemeanor, subject to punishment in accordance with Chapter 1.150, for any person to operate, conduct, or keep open, or permit or allow any person other than a principal or employee regularly employed in, on, or about any card room outside hours set by the city council. Any card room lawfully operating on January 1, 2018, may operate on a 24 hours per day basis, seven days a week, unless a subsequent action of the city council following a noticed public hearing restricts the hours of operation to less than 24 hours per day, seven days a week, for such card room. (Ord. No. 2006-006, § 2, 4-3-06; Ord. No. 2009-001, § 3, 1-12-09; Ord. No. 2017-016, § 1, 11-20-17)

A. A total of 22 card tables, or such greater number of card tables as permitted by applicable state or city law and which has first been approved by resolution of the city council, may be operated within the city’s jurisdiction. Any such approval resolution shall not become effective until the thirty-first day following its approval and shall be subject to referendum.

B. No more than one game will be played at any one table at the same time in any card room.

C. The maximum number of tables that may be operated by an annexed card room is 22 tables or such greater number as permitted by applicable state or city law and which has first been approved by resolution of the city council. Any such approval resolution shall not become effective until the thirty-first day following its approval and shall be subject to referendum. (Ord. No. 2006-006, § 2, 4-3-06; Ord. No. 2009-001, § 4, 1-12-09; Ord. No. 2012-007, § 2, 3-12-12; Ord. No. 2014-004, § 4, 4-28-14)

Every card room will have and implement a security plan that will include measures to ensure patron safety in and around the gambling establishment. The plan, and any of its amendments, must be approved in advance by the chief of police or designee. The plan must provide that one or more persons charged with the task of patron security is on duty at all times while the card room is open. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the city council has the right to require the card room operator to modify the security plan to the chief of police’s, or designee’s, satisfaction, on reasonable notice to the card room operator. (Ord. No. 2006-006, § 2, 4-3-06)

No card room owner or employee will permit a person to make aggregate bets exceeding an amount established by city council resolution in the same hand. (Ord. No. 2006-006, § 2, 4-3-06)

Every card room must post notice, in a clear and conspicuous manner, of the hours of operation for the card room house and table wagering limits, and rules relating to wagering. Each card room must also make available to any patron a written explanation of the rules of each game that may be played in the gambling establishment. (Ord. No. 2006-006, § 2, 4-3-06)