5.32.010 Definitions.

   For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall be defined as follows:

   A.   Cardroom. Any space, room or enclosure, furnished, or equipped with a table used or intended to be used as a card table for the lawful playing of controlled games as defined in California Penal Code Section 337j(e) or any successor statutes thereto.

   B.   Cardroom Employee. Cardroom employee means any person employed in the operation of a cardroom including, without limitation, dealers, floor employees, security employees, countroom personnel, cage personnel, collection personnel, surveillance personnel, data processing personnel, appropriate maintenance personnel, waiters and waitresses, and secretaries, or any other person whose employment duties require or authorize access to restricted areas where any controlled gambling occurs.

   C.   Director. Director means the director of the city’s administrative services department.

   D.   The Gambling Control Act. The Gambling Control Act, as set forth in California Business and Professions Code Section 19800 et seq., or any successor statutes thereto.

(Ord. 1249 §1 (part), Ord. 2173 §1, Ord. 2203, Ord. 2439 §47)

5.32.020 License - Required.

   A.   It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in, carry on, maintain, or conduct, or to cause to be engaged in, carried on, maintained, or conducted, any cardroom in the city without first obtaining a license from the city to do so in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

   B.   Any nonprofit society, club, fraternal, labor, or other organization having adopted bylaws, duly elected directors, and members which have card tables for the exclusive use of its members, even where no charge is made for any of the facilities, shall not be exempt from the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 1249 §1 (part), Ord. 2203)

5.32.030 License - Application - Generally.

   A.   Application for a cardroom license shall be made to the director upon such form as the director may prescribe. Such application shall include, among other things, the following:

      1.   The names and addresses of all persons financially interested in the business proposing to operate a cardroom. “Persons financially interested” shall include all persons who share, directly or indirectly, in the income of the business on the basis of gross or net revenue;

      2.   Previous criminal records, if any, of the applicant and of all persons financially interested in the business;

      3.   Physical descriptions of the applicant and of all persons financially interested in the business.

   B.   Such application shall be certified as to its correctness by the applicant under penalty of perjury.

   C.   On receipt of a completed city application form, the director shall issue the applicant a cardroom license subject to the following provisions:

      1.   No cardroom license shall be issued, re-issued, or renewed unless the cardroom is located or proposed to be located in a zoning district in which cardrooms are a permitted use and a valid use permit has been obtained for the cardroom as authorized by the zoning regulations;

      2.   No cardroom license shall be issued unless the applicant and all persons financially interested have been fingerprinted and approved by the Chico police department.

      3.   No cardroom may be located near any unsuitable area, as specified in the Gambling Control Act.

(Ord. 1249 §1 (part), Ord. 2113 §1, Ord. 2173 §2, Ord. 2177, Ord. 2203)(Ord. 2430 §1, Ord. 2439 §48)

5.32.035 License - Presentation of State license.

   Once received, applicant shall provide to the director a copy of a valid gambling license issued to applicant by the State of California pursuant to the Gambling Control Act.

(Ord. 2203, Ord. 2439 §49)

5.32.040 License - Fee.

   The applicant for a cardroom license shall pay a license fee with the application. The entire fee shall be retained by the city. The amount of the license fee shall be established by city council resolution.

(Ord. 1249 §1 (part), Ord. 1262 §1, Ord. 2173 §3, Ord. 2203)