HF 2366

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 04/09/2021 12:52pm

A bill for an act
relating to lawful gambling; clarifying definitions relating to electronic games;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 349.11; 349.12, subdivisions 12a,
12b, 12c.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 349.11, is amended to read:

349.11 PURPOSE.

The purpose of sections 349.11 to 349.22 is to regulate lawful gambling, to insure
integrity of operations, deleted text begin and deleted text end to provide for the use of net profits only for lawful purposes new text begin ,
and to authorize only those games or game features discussed in this chapter new text end .

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 349.12, subdivision 12a, is amended to read:

Subd. 12a.

Electronic bingo device.

"Electronic bingo device" means a handheld and
portable electronic device that:

(1) is used by a bingo player to:

(i) monitor bingo paper sheets or a facsimile of a bingo paper sheet purchased and played
at the time and place of an organization's bingo occasion, or to play an electronic bingo
game that is linked with other permitted premises;

(ii) activate numbers announced or displayed, and to compare the numbers to the bingo
faces previously stored in the memory of the device;

(iii) identify a winning bingo pattern or game requirement; and

(iv) play against other bingo players;

(2) limits the play of bingo faces to 36 faces per game;

(3) requires coded entry to activate play but does not allow the use of a coin, currency,
or tokens to be inserted to activate play;

(4) may only be used for play against other bingo players in a bingo game;

new text begin (5) may only display the results of the electronic bingo game in a manner typically
associated with bingo played in a paper format, may only display the grid of numbers and
letters typically associated with paper bingo, and may not display or simulate any other
form of gambling, entertainment, slot machines, electronic video lotteries, or video games
of chance;
new text end

new text begin (6) has no spinning reels or other representations that mimic a slot machine, including
but not limited to nonstraight win line graphics, nonstraight pay line graphics, open all
features, single button press reveals, hold and spin features, delayed reveals, cascading or
tumbling reveals, bonus games, bonus wheels, free play, free spins, or screens or game
features that are triggered after the initial symbols are revealed that display the results of
the game;
new text end

deleted text begin (5) deleted text end new text begin (7) new text end has no additional function as an amusement or gambling device other than as an
electronic pull-tab game defined under section 349.12, subdivision 12c;

deleted text begin (6) deleted text end new text begin (8) new text end has the capability to ensure adequate levels of security internal controls;

deleted text begin (7) deleted text end new text begin (9) new text end has the capability to permit the board to electronically monitor the operation of
the device and the internal accounting systems; and

deleted text begin (8) deleted text end new text begin (10) new text end has the capability to allow use by a player who is visually impaired.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 349.12, subdivision 12b, is amended to read:

Subd. 12b.

Electronic pull-tab device.

"Electronic pull-tab device" means a handheld
and portable electronic device that:

(1) is used to play one or more electronic pull-tab games;

(2) requires coded entry to activate play but does not allow the use of coin, currency, or
tokens to be inserted to activate play;

(3) requires that a player must new text begin manually new text end activate or open each electronic pull-tab ticket
and new text begin also manually activate or open new text end each deleted text begin individual deleted text end line, row, or column of deleted text begin each electronic
pull-tab ticket deleted text end new text begin symbols on each electronic pull-tab ticket with a separate push of a button,
and must display the underlying symbols in a given line, row, or column immediately after
the player manually activates or opens the applicable line, row, or column of symbols new text end ;

(4) maintains information pertaining to accumulated win credits that may be applied to
games in play or redeemed upon termination of play;

new text begin (5) may only display the results of the electronic pull-tab game in a manner typically
associated with paper pull-tabs tickets, may only display symbols typically associated with
paper pull-tab tickets, may not include continuation play, bonus games, or additional screens
or game features that display the results of the game after the initial symbols are revealed,
and may not display or simulate any other form of gambling, entertainment, slot machines,
electronic video lotteries, or video games of chance;
new text end

deleted text begin (5) deleted text end new text begin (6) new text end has no spinning reels or other representations that mimic a video slot machine new text begin ,
including but not limited to nonstraight win line graphics, nonstraight pay line graphics,
open all features, single button press reveals, hold and spin features, delayed reveals,
cascading or tumbling reveals, bonus games, bonus wheels, free play, free spins, progressive
prizes or jackpots, or screens or game features that are triggered after the initial symbols
are revealed that display the results of the game new text end ;

deleted text begin (6) deleted text end new text begin (7) new text end has no additional function as a gambling device other than as an electronic-linked
bingo game played on a device defined under section 349.12, subdivision 12a;

deleted text begin (7) deleted text end new text begin (8) new text end may incorporate an amusement game feature as part of the pull-tab game but
may not require additional consideration for that feature or award any prize, or other benefit
for that feature;

deleted text begin (8) deleted text end new text begin (9) new text end may have auditory or visual enhancements to promote or provide information
about the game being played, provided the component does not affect the outcome of a
game or display the results of a game;

deleted text begin (9) deleted text end new text begin (10) new text end maintains, on nonresettable meters, a printable, permanent record of all
transactions involving each device and electronic pull-tab games played on the device;

deleted text begin (10) deleted text end new text begin (11) new text end is not a pull-tab dispensing device as defined under subdivision 32a; and

deleted text begin (11) deleted text end new text begin (12) new text end has the capability to allow use by a player who is visually impaired.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 349.12, subdivision 12c, is amended to read:

Subd. 12c.

Electronic pull-tab game.

"Electronic pull-tab game" means a pull-tab game
containing:

(1) facsimiles of pull-tab tickets that are played on an electronic pull-tab device new text begin , provided
that any game with multiple lines, rows, or columns of symbols requires a separate push of
a button to reveal the symbols underneath the applicable line, row, or column and results
are displayed pursuant to subdivision 12b new text end ;

(2) a predetermined, finite number of winning and losing tickets, not to exceed 7,500
tickets;

(3) the same price for each ticket in the game;

(4) a price paid by the player of not less than 25 cents per ticket;

(5) tickets that are in conformance with applicable board rules for pull-tabs;

(6) winning tickets that comply with prize limits under section 349.211;

(7) a unique serial number that may not be regenerated;

(8) an electronic flare that displays the game name; form number; predetermined, finite
number of tickets in the game; and prize tier; and

(9) no spinning reels or other representations that mimic a video slot machine new text begin as provided
in subdivision 12b, clause (6) new text end .