| 1 | 1 | | By: Herrero H.B. No. 4040 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the licensing and regulation of sports betting web |
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| 7 | 7 | | sites, providing penalties; requiring a license; allowing a fee. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 2502, Occupations Code, is amended to |
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| 10 | 10 | | read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 2502.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (1) "License" means a license, certificate, registration, |
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| 13 | 13 | | permit, or other authorization that: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (A) is issued by a licensing authority; and |
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| 15 | 15 | | (B) a person or entity must obtain to practice or |
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| 16 | 16 | | engage in a particular business, occupation, or profession. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) "Department" means the Texas Department of Licensing |
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| 18 | 18 | | and Regulation. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (3) "Sports betting website" means an internet website that |
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| 20 | 20 | | allows a user to make through use of the website a bet on the outcome |
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| 21 | 21 | | of a sporting event or participation in a competition based on the |
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| 22 | 22 | | performance of the players in a sporting event or series of sporting |
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| 23 | 23 | | events. |
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| 24 | 24 | | Sec. 2502.002. OPERATING SPORTS BETTING WEBSITE; LICENSE |
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| 25 | 25 | | REQUIRED. (a) A person or entity must obtain a license issued by |
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| 26 | 26 | | the department annually, if the person or entity operates a sports |
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| 27 | 27 | | betting website. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (b) The department shall adopt rules for the licensing of |
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| 29 | 29 | | sports betting websites including charging a license fee. |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2502.003. OPERATING SPORTS BETTING WEBSITE WITHOUT A |
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| 31 | 31 | | LICENSE; OFFENSE. (a) Unless licensed under Section 2502.002, a |
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| 32 | 32 | | person or entity commits an offense under Section 47.02(a)(1), |
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| 33 | 33 | | Penal Code. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (b) An offense under Subsection (a) is a Class A |
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| 35 | 35 | | misdemeanor. |
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| 36 | 36 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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