Virginia Law

A. Hours of operation.

1. A facility operator may not offer fewer hours of operation than provided for by law without the prior written approval of the director.

2. A facility operator that has received approval to offer fewer hours of operation may, upon written notice to the director, extend its hours of operation up to and including those allowable by law.

B. Facility design standards.

1. A facility operator shall, at its own expense, construct its facility in accordance with specifications established by the director, including:

a. Computer space for the central monitor and control system contractor that is:

(1) Equipped with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning;

(2) Supplied with power including an uninterruptible backup power supply;

(3) Secured with a key or alternative locking mechanism maintained and controlled by representatives of the department and the central monitor and control system operator in accordance with this chapter;

(4) Equipped with a door that, when opened, audibly signals the facility operator's surveillance monitoring room; and

(5) Covered by a surveillance system enabled to record all entry and exit to the computer space and activity in the area;

b. Equipment storage space for the central monitor and control system contractor;

c. Cable infrastructure access to the gaming floor;

d All necessary wiring for the gaming floor, unless the department requires its central monitor and control system contractor to install its wiring;

e. A base and high-backed seat for each slot machine;

f. At least 1,000 square feet of office space for use by department staff that is located immediately adjacent to the gaming floor and is equipped with:

(1) Partitioned work space, computers, telephones, copy capability, and supplies sufficient to meet the department's data processing and related needs;

(2) Computer terminals permitting read only access by authorized department staff to any computerized slot monitoring system, casino management system, or player tracking system used by the facility operator; and

(3) Keys or alternative locking mechanisms which are under the exclusive control of the department;

g. A surveillance system approved in writing by the department that is:

(1) Configured to provide surveillance of all slot machine and table game related activities within the facility in accordance with standards established by the department;

(2) Enabled with a digital video recording format in accordance with standards established by the department; and

(3) Equipped with a monitoring station for the exclusive use of the department which is configured with full camera control capability over the surveillance system and is capable of overriding the camera control capability of the facility operator;

h. An alarm system connected to all emergency exits from the gaming floor that:

(1) Produces a distinguishable warning sound that is discernible in the vicinity of an exit when the emergency door is opened; and

(2) Requires deactivation and reset by means of a key or alternative locking mechanism maintained and controlled by the security department;

i. An area for the detention of individuals taken into custody by any law-enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over the facility;

j. Adequate space for use by the department in connection with conducting background investigations of applicants or licensees;

k Any signage required by the department;

l. Communication systems capable of effecting timely communication between the facility and the department, law enforcement exercising proper jurisdiction over the facility, and emergency first responders; and

m. Any other equipment or design feature required by the department.

2. Virginia Lottery games.

a. A facility operator shall provide at least two locations in the facility for the sale of Virginia Lottery games that are offered by or through the department.

b. Virginia Lottery game sales locations shall be situated as near as practicable to a cashiers' cage.

C. Table games surveillance requirements.

1. In addition to the general surveillance system required by subsection B of this section and 11VAC5-90-110, a facility operator that offers table games shall have a surveillance system that includes:

a. Light sensitive cameras with lenses of sufficient magnification to allow the operator to clandestinely monitor in detail:

(1) The gaming conducted at each gaming table in the facility with sufficient clarity and coverage to simultaneously:

(a) Identify players and dealers; and

(b) View the table and determine the configuration of wagers, card, dice and tile values, and game outcomes;

(2) The movement of cash, gaming chips, and plaques, tip boxes, and drop boxes within the facility; and

(3) Any other activity or areas designated by the department; and

b. Stationary cameras dedicated to table games, including:

(1) Except for craps, baccarat, roulette and big six wheel, at least one stationary camera for each table game offered by the facility;

(2) At least two stationary cameras for each craps table, with one camera covering each end of the table;

(3) At least two stationary cameras for each baccarat table, with one camera covering each end of the table;

(4) At least two stationary cameras for each roulette table, with one camera covering the roulette wheel and one camera covering the roulette table layout;

(5) At least two stationary cameras for each big six wheel, with one camera covering the big six wheel and one camera covering the big six wheel table layout;

(6) Additional cameras as required by the department, which may include cameras with 360-degree pan, tilt, and zoom capabilities; and

(7) Single stationary cameras that:

(a) Are capable of clearly identifying the entire table layout, conduct, and outcome of the game; and

(b) May be used by a facility operator with the approval of the department in lieu of cameras identified in subdivisions 1 b (2) through 1 b (5) of this subsection.

2. A facility's surveillance system must continuously record transmissions from cameras used to observe the:

a. Gaming conducted at table games;

b. Collection of drop boxes and tip boxes;

c. Distribution of cards, dice, and tiles to gaming pits;

d. Inspection of cards, dice, and tiles in the gaming pits and at the gaming tables;

e. Retrieval of cards, dice, and tiles from the gaming pits at the end of the gaming day; and

f. Delivery of cards, dice, and tiles to the location designated and approved by the department for inspection, cancellation, destruction, or, if applicable, packaging for reuse.

3. Retention of recordings.

a. The surveillance recordings required under subdivision 2 of this subsection shall be retained for a minimum of 14 days.

b. A surveillance recording of suspicious activity, suspected or alleged regulatory violations, or suspected or alleged criminal activity shall be retained for a minimum of 30 days.

c. A surveillance recording shall be made available for review upon request by law enforcement.

4. Department approval of monitoring rooms.

a. Prior to the commencement of table game operations, a facility shall submit to the department a minimum staffing submission for the facility operator's surveillance monitor rooms.

b. The minimum staffing submission must consider the size and layout of the licensed facility as well as the number of table games and must at all times provide for surveillance of activities inside and outside the licensed facility.

c. A facility operator may not implement a surveillance plan, or an amendment to a surveillance plan or minimum staffing submission, without prior department approval.

D. Gaming floor plan.

1. At least 60 days before gaming operations are to commence, a facility operator shall submit a floor plan depicting its gaming floor and all restricted areas to the department for review and written approval.

2. A facility operator may not commence operations until its gaming floor plan is approved in writing by the department.

3. A gaming floor plan that a facility operator submits to the department shall:

a. Be drawn to 1/8-inch scale, unless another scale is approved by the department;

b. Be certified by an architect licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia;

c. Depict the gaming floor with a notation as to:

(1) Total square feet;

(2) Total square feet utilized for the placement of slot machines, table games and any other types of casino games;

(3) Total square feet reserved for future placement of casino games;

(4) Each casino game location, identified by number and notation as to whether it is proposed for present use or reserved for future use;

(5) Number of casino game locations proposed for use on the gaming floor;

(6) Number of casino game locations reserved for future use;

(7) Each seat on the gaming floor;

(8) Perimeter of the gaming floor;

(9) A clearly delineated route for and individual who is not allowed to play casino games to bypass the gaming floor;

(10) Each automated bill breaker, gaming ticket redemption, coupon redemption, and jackpot payout machine; and

(11) Each security department zone, including a notation as to whether it is a fixed or roving post;

d. Depict all restricted areas within the facility with a notation as to:

(1) Cashiers' cage, any satellite cashiers' cage, and ancillary offices, inclusive of each cashiers' cage window location and location number;

(2) Computer space allocated to the central monitor and control system;

(3) Count rooms and any trolley storage areas;

(4) An area designated for the storage or repair of equipment or slot machines or table game equipment;

(5) Information technology department operations centers;

(6) Progressive controller locations;

(7) Surveillance monitoring room;

(8) Vault and armored car bay locations; and

(9) Any area designated as restricted by the facility operator in its department-approved internal controls;

e. Depict each surveillance camera with a notation as to camera type and location number; and

f. Depict each automated teller machine.

4. If a gaming floor includes an outdoor area, in addition to the requirements of subdivision 3 of this subsection, an operator shall submit to the department a gaming floor plan that includes:

a. The amenities that the operator intends to offer in the outdoor area;

b. An affidavit from the facility general manager attesting that the outdoor area and its intended use meet all applicable local and state requirements; and

c. A plan for player and equipment safety during inclement weather.

5. A facility operator may not implement any change to its approved gaming floor plan without the prior written approval of the department.