HLS 21RS-962 REENGROSSED
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 541
BY REPRESENTATIVE ILLG
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
GAMING: Provides relative to the central computer monitoring system of electronic
gaming devices located at certain gaming facilities
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 27:30.6(A)(2), (3), and (4) and (B) through (F) and to repeal R.S.
3 27:30.6(G) and (I), relative to electronic gaming devices; to provide relative to the
4 monitoring and reading of certain gaming devices; to provide that electronic gaming
5 devices at certain gaming establishments shall be connected to a licensee's central
6 computer system, casino management system, and slot machine management system
7 for the purpose of monitoring device activities; to provide relative to monitoring or
8 reading of personal or financial information concerning patrons of gaming activities
9 conducted on riverboats or live racing facilities; to provide relative to the assessment
10 and collection of fees; and to provide for related matters.
11Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
12 Section 1. R.S. 27:30.6(A)(2), (3), and (4) and (B) through (F) are hereby amended
13and reenacted to read as follows:
14 ยง30.6. Electronic gaming devices; licensee's central computer system
15 A. The legislature hereby finds and declares that:
16 * * *
17 (2) In order to maintain the security and integrity of electronic gaming
18 devices and for ensuring accurate and thorough accounting procedures, the law
19 mandates that all licensed video draw poker devices, video pull-tabs, electronic
20 gaming devices on licensed riverboats, and slot machines at live racing facilities be
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HB NO. 541
1 connected to a central computer each licensee's central computer system, casino
2 management system, and slot machine management system as applicable, to which
3 the division and board have complete and unrestricted access to the information
4 contained therein. Likewise the casino operating contract provides for complete and
5 unrestricted access to information contained within their centralized computer to the
6 office of state police and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. The legislature finds
7 that it is in the best interest of the state and the general public that all electronic
8 gaming devices licensed in this state should be subject to this type of monitoring and
9 accordingly that all electronic gaming devices should be linked by
10 telecommunication to a central computer system.
11 (3) The present level of technology in electronic gaming devices makes it
12 both feasible and efficacious to require all electronic gaming devices on licensed
13 riverboats in this state to be linked by telecommunication to a central licensee's
14 computer system which will facilitate the monitoring and reading of the devices for
15 the purposes of maintaining the security and integrity of the devices and the integrity
16 of the information reported to the system, in order to ensure that licensees meet their
17 financial obligations to the state.
18 (4) The most efficient, accurate, and honest regulation of the gaming
19 industry in this state can best be facilitated by establishing a central licensee
20 computer system under which all electronic gaming devices will be linked to that
21 system by telecommunication to provide superior capability of auditing, reporting,
22 and regulation of that industry.
23 B. Any electronic gaming device which is included in the definition of
24 "game", "gaming device", and "gaming equipment", as provided for in R.S.
25 27:44(10) or (12) or in the definition of "slot machine" as provided for in R.S.
26 27:44(24) or 353(14), or which is included in the definitions in the rules adopted or
27 enforced by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, or which is otherwise regulated
28 by Chapters 4 and 7 of this Title shall be linked by telecommunication to a central
29 the licensee's computer system for purposes of monitoring and reading device
30 activities as provided for in this Section.
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HB NO. 541
1 C. The provisions of this Section shall apply to any electronic gaming device
2 operated by the holder of a license as defined in R.S. 27:44(14) and regulated by the
3 provisions of Chapter 4 of this Title and to any electronic gaming device operated
4 by the holder of a license as defined in R.S. 27:353(5) and regulated by the
5 provisions of Chapter 7 of this Title.
6 D. The central licensee's computer system authorized by the provisions of
7 this Section shall be designed and operated to allow the monitoring and reading of
8 electronic gaming devices on licensed riverboats and at live racing facilities for the
9 purposes of maintaining the security and integrity of the devices and the integrity of
10 the information reported to the system, so that the fiscal responsibility of the
11 licensees with regard to their obligations to the state will be ensured. The central
12 computer system authorized by the provisions of this Section shall be administered
13 by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of state police, gaming
14 division.
15 E. The central licensee's computer system shall be capable of monitoring and
16 reading financial aspects of each electronic gaming device such as cash in, cash out,
17 amount played, amount won, games played, and games won. As used in this
18 Subsection, "cash" means coins, currency, tokens, credits, or any other thing of value
19 which is used to play or operate an electronic gaming device or which is used to pay
20 the winnings from playing or operating an electronic gaming device.
21 F. The central licensee's computer system shall provide for the monitoring
22 and reading of exception code reporting such as an on-line computer alert, alarm
23 monitoring capability to ensure direct scrutiny of conditions detected and reported
24 by the electronic gaming device, including any device malfunction, any type of
25 tampering, and any open door to the drop area.
26 * * *
27 Section 2. R.S. 27:30.6(G) and (I) are hereby repealed in their entirety.
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HB NO. 541
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 541 Reengrossed 2021 Regular Session Illg
Abstract: Provides that all electronic gaming devices located on riverboats and at slots at
track facilities be connected to a licensee's central computer system, casino
management system, and slot machine management system as applicable.
Present law requires that all licensed video draw poker devices, video pull-tabs, electronic
gaming devices on licensed riverboats, and slot machines at live racing facilities be
connected to a central computer in order to maintain the security and integrity of electronic
gaming devices and for ensuring accurate and thorough accounting procedures.
Proposed law amends present law to require all licensed video draw poker devices, video
pull-tabs, electronic gaming devices on licensed riverboats, and slot machines at live racing
facilities to be connected to each licensee's central computer system, casino management
system, and slot machine management system as applicable, to which the Dept. of Public
Safety and Corrections, office of state police, and the La. Gaming Control Bd. have complete
and unrestricted access to the information contained in electronic gaming devices.
Present law provides that the central computer system shall not provide for the monitoring
or reading of personal or financial information concerning patrons of gaming activities
conducted on a riverboat or at live racing facilities.
Proposed law repeals present law.
Present law requires the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections, office of state police, to
impose and collect an annual fee not in excess of $50 on each electronic gaming device
linked by telecommunication to the central computer system. Provides that the purpose of
the fee shall be to defray the costs to the state of acquiring, implementing, and maintaining
the central computer system. The annual fee is required to be established in an amount
which will generate an amount of funds in each fiscal year which is equal to the projected
cost of administering the system for that fiscal year. The fee is subject to annual legislative
oversight approval.
Proposed law repeals present law.
(Amends R.S. 27:30.6(A)(2), (3), and (4) and (B) through (F); Repeals 27:30.6(G) and (I))
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