Williams Municipal Code Ch. 5.12 Cardrooms

Sections:

* For statutory provisions on the prohibition of certain card games, see Penal Code § 330.

It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to keep or maintain or permit to be kept or maintained in any building, place or premises owned, managed, supervised, possessed or controlled by him or it in the city, any table or tables which are used by the public or offered for use by the public for the playing of cards, and for the use of which a fee or compensation is charged players, without first obtaining a permit from the city council to do so.

(Ord. 143 § 1, 1967).

A. A written application for permits under this chapter shall be filed with the city clerk upon forms to be provided by him, and shall contain the following information:

1. The name, occupation, business status and residence address of the applicant;

2. The location and ownership of the premises for which the permit is sought;

3. The number of tables for which the permit is sought, together with such further information as the city council may require.

B. The council shall submit each application to the chief of police of the city, who shall inspect the tables and the premises in question and investigate the moral character of the applicant and secure his fingerprints. The chief of police shall not approve any application unless he is satisfied that the applicant is of good moral character, and that the operation of the cardroom at the premises proposed would not constitute a violation of any state law or ordinance of the city.

C. The council may deny any such application if, after investigating the matter, it determines that it will be injurious to the public health, safety, welfare or morals of the people of the city to operate such cardroom upon the premises for which the permit is sought.

(Ord. 143 § 2, 1967).

A. Every person, firm or corporation engaged in managing, possessing or conducting the business of maintaining a place where tables are used by the public for the playing of cards, and for the use of which a fee or compensation is charged players, in addition to obtaining the permit required by this chapter, shall pay a license fee of one hundred twenty-five dollars per calendar year, for each card table, payable in advance. Persons commencing business after the beginning of the license year may procure a license for the remainder of the year by paying the proportion of the license tax for such business that such remainder of the year bears to the full year.

B. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the cardrooms of recognized fraternal organizations operating under charter from the head of such organization, not open to the general public, and whose membership is restricted to those persons regularly and formally elected to membership therein and paying regular dues to such organization; but such exceptions shall not extend to any organization operated and maintained principally for the purpose of conducting or permitting the conduct of card games.

C. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any occasional card game sponsored by any fraternal, religious or social group in an establishment which is not primarily used by the public for the playing of cards.

D. No license for such establishment shall be issued by the license collector unless and until the applicant therefor has a valid permit in effect covering the specific location in question.

(Ord. 160 § 1, 1971: Ord. 143 § 3, 1967).

All cardrooms subject to the provisions of this chapter shall cease operation and remain closed between the hours of two a.m. and nine a.m. of each day.

(Ord. 143 § 4, 1967).

It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to maintain at any time in any such place or establishment a greater number of tables than that set forth in the application for which a permit is granted.

(Ord. 143 § 5, 1967).

It is unlawful for the owner, operator, tenant or person in control of any room or enclosure where such table or tables are maintained or used, or while any game is played, or for any other person to sell, dispense, give, serve or deliver to any participant within any room or enclosure where any such table or tables are maintained or used, any intoxicating liquor or alcoholic beverage.

(Ord. 143 § 6, 1967).

It is unlawful for any such owner, operator, tenant or other person to permit any participant in any game played at a table in any cardroom or enclosure to consume any intoxicating liquor or alcoholic beverage within any such room or enclosure where any such tables are maintained, used or played at.

(Ord. 143 § 7, 1967).

It is unlawful for any such owner, tenant, operator or other such person in charge or control of any cardroom, enclosure, game or tables, to knowingly permit any person while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or alcoholic beverage to participate either directly or indirectly in any game played at any such table within such room or enclosure.

(Ord. 143 § 8, 1967).

A. Permits and licenses issued under this chapter shall not be transferable and any attempted transfer shall render the permit and license in question invalid.

B. Permits under this chapter may be suspended or revoked by the city council upon conviction for a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or when in the opinion of the city council the continued operation of such place or establishment will be injurious to the public health, safety, welfare or morals of the people of the city.

(Ord. 143 § 9, 1967).

No proprietor nor person having charge of any establishment open to the public for playing cards where a fee or compensation is charged players in the city, shall suffer or permit any person under the age of twenty-one years to enter, be in, remain in or visit such establishment.

(Ord. 143 § 10, 1967).

Every employee of any person, firm or corporation licensed to operate an establishment open to the public for playing cards where a fee or compensation is charged players shall, prior to his or her employment, secure a permit from the chief of police of the city. The application for permit shall be accompanied by fingerprints of the applicant, and shall contain all information deemed relevant by the chief of police. The chief of police shall not approve any application unless he is satisfied that the applicant is of good moral character.

(Ord. 143 § 11, 1967).

No card table whereupon card games may be played shall be maintained behind any closed, locked or barred door at any place of business in the city. The main entrance of any premises for which any permit has been issued pursuant to this chapter shall at all times remain unlocked and unbarred while any games are being played upon the premises; and at all such times all premises where any games are being played shall be kept in such condition as to be accessible for inspection to all police officers. No permit for the conduct of any card game shall be issued for any portion of any premises unless such portion is in close proximity to and readily accessible to all police officers from the main entrances of said premises.

(Ord. 143 § 12, 1967).

Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the city jail or county jail for a term not exceeding one hundred eighty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(Ord. 143 § 13, 1967).