61D-11.0279. Jackpots, Prizes, and Giveaways

(1) All cardroom and dominoes operators offering jackpots, prizes and giveaways from the jackpot pool shall:

(a) Conspicuously post in the cardroom the rules of the jackpots, prizes and giveaways offered, including which specified combination of cards is a winner, the amount to be awarded, and all details regarding seeding the jackpot pool;

(b) Conspicuously display, for the players to see, the jackpot pool rake limits and a description of how the jackpot pool rake is collected at each cardroom table;

(c) Ensure that jackpot pool drop boxes:

1. Are installed on an area of the table as specified in the cardroom’s system of internal controls,

2. Have permanently affixed number(s) or letter(s) that are of sufficient size to be verified through surveillance coverage and correspond to the table to which the drop box is assigned,

3. Are marked or colored to distinguish them from the regular drop box and tip box,

4. Are dropped and counted daily using drop procedures set forth in Rule 61D-11.0175, F.A.C.

(d) Ensure that jackpot pool revenue is:

1. Not commingled with other monies,

2. Deposited daily into a separate non-interest bearing bank account, or

3. Held as cash on hand in the cashiers’ cage or vault.

(e) Ensure that all jackpot pool accounting records include a detailed ledger with all credits, debits, and any jackpot pool amount carried forward to the jackpot from the prior playing day and are maintained to account for each different jackpot offered.

(2) All jackpot pool payouts shall be made in accordance with the internal controls.

(3) The cardroom operator shall:

(a) Maintain a separate Form DBPR PMW-3605, Daily Tracking of Cardroom Jackpot, effective 7-21-14, incorporated herein by reference, https://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-04403, which can be obtained at www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pmw, or by contacting the Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering at 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1035, for each day of cardroom activity, and each different jackpot;

(b) Maintain a record of all award recipients’ names. Additionally, if the amount of a player’s award meets applicable IRS reporting thresholds, the cardroom operator shall maintain all information required by the IRS for the player.

(4) A jackpot, prize, or giveaway from the jackpot pool shall only be awarded to player(s) holding a combination of cards specified by the cardroom operator prior to play and in accordance with internal controls.

(5) The transaction for a giveaway or prize must be a separate transaction from any buy-in or re-buy. Jackpot pool contributions may be a part of a buy-in or re-buy, but the jackpot pool portion of the buy-in or re-buy must be fully disclosed and accounted for separately.

(6) A cardroom operator may not withhold a percentage of the jackpot pool for the cost of administering the jackpot pool. One hundred percent of any jackpot pool shall be applied to the payment of jackpots.

(7) Cardroom operators shall retain all receipts and invoices for any items purchased to be awarded as jackpot prizes and giveaway payouts.

(8) If jackpot pools from multiple cardroom permitholders are combined to make one collective jackpot pool, the internal controls for each participating cardroom must include procedures to:

(a) Notify each cardroom that participates in contributing to the collective jackpot pool when a winning jackpot claim occurs, which notice shall include:

1. The method of notification,

2. The specified time frame in which the notification shall occur; and,

3. The employee positions that will be notified at each participating cardroom facility.

(b) Verify a winning jackpot claim;

(c) Address the possibility of near simultaneous jackpot claims;

(d) Ensure:

1. The time accounting in the internal video surveillance systems are synchronized for the multiple locations; and,

2. The jackpot pool will be split equally between the multiple claimants when review of surveillance recordings confirm that two or more simultaneous claims are made within 300 seconds of each other, with consideration given to differences in time zones.

(e) Notify cardroom patrons of a jackpot claim, which shall include:

1. The announcement at each participating cardroom when a jackpot claim is confirmed; and,

2. The display, by each participating cardroom, of the jackpot pool balance(s) as required in subsection (1), of this rule.

(f) Ensure that the accounting and tracking of the jackpot pool shall be made only on Form DBPR PMW-3605, Daily Tracking of Cardroom Jackpot Pool, adopted by reference in paragraph (3)(a), above, which shall be:

1. Completed separately for each location; and,

2. Combined for all locations.

Rulemaking Authority 550.0251(12), 849.086(4), (11) FS. Law Implemented 849.086 FS. History–New 9-7-08, Amended 7-21-14, 1-2-18.