Pennsylvania Code & Bulletin
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

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The Pennsylvania Code website reflects the Pennsylvania Code changes effective through 54 Pa.B. 488 (January 27, 2024).

58 Pa. Code § 814a.3. Compulsive and problem gambling plan.

§ 814a.3. Compulsive and problem gambling plan.

 (a)  An interactive gaming certificate or interactive gaming operator applicant shall submit a compulsive and problem gambling plan for review at the time of submission of the application that conforms with §  501a.2 (relating to compulsive and problem gambling plan).

 (b)  In addition to the requirements in §  501a.2, an interactive gaming certificate holder’s or interactive gaming operator applicant’s compulsive and problem gambling plan must include all of the following:

   (1)  The goals of the plan.

   (2)  The identification of the individual who will be responsible for the implementation and maintenance of the plan.

   (3)  Policies and procedures including all of the following:

     (i)   The commitment of the interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator to train appropriate employees.

     (ii)   The duties and responsibilities of the employees designated to implement or participate in the plan, including the dedicated employee who is responsible for ensuring the operation and integrity of interactive gaming and reviewing all reports of suspicious behavior.

     (iii)   The responsibility of registered players with respect to responsible gambling.

     (iv)   Procedures to identify registered players and employees with suspected or known compulsive and problem gambling behavior.

     (v)   Procedures for prominently posting the message ‘‘IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS A GAMBLING PROBLEM, HELP IS AVAILABLE, CALL 1-800-GAMBLER,’’ or comparable language approved by the Board, on all interactive gaming sites and displaying the message to a person visiting or logging onto and logging off the interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator’s interactive gaming skin or interactive gaming web site.

     (vi)   Procedures on displaying the date and time of the registered player’s previous log on each time that registered player logs on to his interactive gaming account.

     (vii)   Procedures for preventing an underage person or a person on the interactive gaming self-exclusion list from being mailed any advertisement, promotion or other target mailing, including those sent electronically, no later than 5 business days after receiving notice from the Board that the person has been placed on the interactive gaming self-exclusion list.

     (viii)   A policy and procedures for the display of the time in the time zone where the registered player is physically located and the time elapsed while in the current registered player session and the cause of a pop-up notification, at least every hour, to be prominently displayed on the interactive gaming device advising the registered player of the amount of time elapsed and the money wagered since his log on.

     (ix)   Procedures for offering registered players the option to select a pop-up notification in 15-minute and 30-minute increments advising the registered player of the amount of money wagered since his log on.

     (x)   Procedures for reviewing, updating and posting information on the interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator’s web site regarding gambling addiction treatment services, gamblers anonymous programs, compulsive gambling organizations and informational documents on all of the following:

       (A)   Rules of responsible gambling.

       (B)   Myths about gambling.

       (C)   Risks associated with gambling.

       (D)   Signs and symptoms of gambling disorders.

       (E)   Randomness of play.

     (xi)   Procedures for posting links to all of the following organizations’ web sites on the interactive gaming certificate holder/operator licensee’s web site:

       (A)   The Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania.

       (B)   The National Council on Problem Gambling.

       (C)   The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ (or successor agency) gambling addiction participating provider list.

       (D)   Gamblers Anonymous of PA.

       (E)   Gam-Anon of PA.

       (F)   The Board’s Office of Compulsive and Problem Gambling.

       (G)   A Pennsylvania or United States suicide prevention organization’s webpage and telephone number.

     (xii)   Procedures for responding to registered player requests for information regarding gambling addiction treatment services, gamblers anonymous programs, compulsive gambling organizations, and other informational documents.

       (A)   The interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator shall provide examples of the materials to be used as part of its plan, including the problem gambling helpline number and message, informational documents and other posted material, including all of the following:

         (I)   Rules of responsible gambling.

         (II)   Myths about gambling.

         (III)   Risks associated with gambling.

         (IV)   Signs and symptoms of gambling disorders.

         (V)   Randomness of play.

         (VI)   Self-exclusion brochure.

   (4)  Policies and procedures on the governing of self-imposed limits and suspension.

   (5)  An employee training program as required under this chapter, including training materials to be utilized and a plan for annual reinforcement training.

   (6)  A certification process established by the interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator to verify that each employee has completed the training required by the plan.

   (7)  An estimation of the cost of development, implementation and administration of the plan.

   (8)  Procedures to prevent underage gambling as required under §  513a.3(b) (relating to responsibilities of licensees, permittees, registrants and certification holders).

   (9)  Procedures to prevent excluded persons from gambling.

   (10)  Procedures to prevent self-excluded and temporarily suspended persons from gambling.

   (11)  Procedures to monitor all interactive gaming sites for suspicious activity including those who are:

     (i)   Engaging in or attempting to engage in, or who are reasonably suspected of, cheating, theft, embezzlement, collusion, money laundering or any other illegal activities.

     (ii)   Required to be excluded under Board regulations.

     (iii)   Prohibited by the interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive operator licensee from interactive gaming.

   (12)  Procedures on the reporting of those who may have or have a known gambling disorder.

   (13)  Details of outreach programs which the interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator intends to offer to employees and individuals who are not employees of the interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator.

   (14)  The plan for posting the statement ‘‘If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call 1-800-GAMBLER’’ on the interactive gaming certificate holder’s or interactive gaming operator’s webpage and each skin.

 (c)  The compulsive and problem gambling plan of an applicant for an interactive gaming certificate or interactive gaming license that has been approved to receive an interactive gaming certificate or interactive gaming license shall be approved by the Director of the Office of Compulsive and Problem Gaming (OCPG). An applicant for an interactive gaming certificate or interactive gaming license who has been approved to receive an interactive gaming certificate or interactive gaming license will be notified in writing of any deficiencies in the plan and may submit revisions to the plan to the Director of the OCPG. An interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator may not commence operations until the Director of the OCPG approves the plan.

 (d)  Compliance with the plan approved under this chapter will be a condition of interactive gaming certificate or interactive gaming license renewal.

 (e)  An interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator shall submit any other policies and procedures intended to be used beyond what is required under subsection (d) to prevent and raise awareness of gambling disorders.

 (f)  An interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator shall submit amendments to the compulsive and problem gambling plan to the Director of the OCPG for review and approval at least 30 days prior to the intended implementation date of the amendments. The interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator may implement the amendments on the 30th calendar day following the filing the amendments unless the interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator receives a notice under subsection (h) objecting to the amendments.

 (g)  If during the 30-day review period the Director of the OCPG determines that the amendments may not promote the prevention of compulsive and problem gambling or assist in the proper administration of responsible gaming programs, the Director of the OCPG may, by written notice to the interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator, object to the amendments. The objection will:

   (1)  Specify the nature of the objection and, when possible, an acceptable alternative.

   (2)  Direct that the amendments not be implemented until approved by the Director of the OCPG.

 (h)  When amendments have been objected to under subsection (g), the interactive gaming certificate holder or interactive gaming operator may submit revised amendments for review in accordance with subsections (f) and (g).



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