PART V. CONDUCTING OF GAMING OPERATIONS

§65. Licenses to conduct gaming activities upon riverboats; limitations

            A. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, upon application properly submitted and examined, the division may issue up to fifteen licenses to conduct gaming activities on a riverboat, in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter. No more than six licenses may be granted for the operation of gaming activities on riverboats for operation from any one designated waterway.

            B. Gaming shall be conducted aboard riverboats, subject to the following requirements:

            (1)(a) In the parish of the official gaming establishment, except as provided in R.S. 27:66, no gaming may be conducted while a riverboat is docked, unless the vessel is docked for less than forty-five minutes between excursions. However, should the master of the riverboat reasonably determine and certify in writing that the weather conditions or the water conditions are such that those conditions, which the master shall specify, present a danger to the riverboat, its passengers, and crew, then the riverboat may remain docked and gaming may take place until such time as the master determines that those conditions have sufficiently diminished to proceed or until the duration of the authorized excursion has expired. A riverboat gaming licensee authorized to conduct gaming pursuant to this Subparagraph shall pay the franchise fee provided in R.S. 27:91(C)(1) and shall pay either the additional franchise fee provided in R.S. 27:91(C)(2) or, if applicable and authorized by R.S. 27:66, the additional franchise fee in the amount provided in R.S. 27:91(C)(4).

            (b) For the purposes of this Chapter, on or after September 15, 1993, in any parish which borders the Red River beginning five miles south of the Kansas City Southern Company/Louisiana Arkansas Crossing Railroad Bridge in Rapides Parish and ending five miles north of the Mid-South Company Railroad Bridge in Caddo Parish, gaming shall only be conducted while a riverboat is docked and no cruises or excursions shall be conducted. A riverboat gaming licensee authorized to conduct gaming while a riverboat is docked pursuant to this Subparagraph shall pay the franchise fee in the amount provided in R.S. 27:91(C)(1) and the additional franchise fee in the amount provided in R.S. 27:91(C)(3).

            (c) For all licensees other than those licensed pursuant to R.S. 27:65(B)(1)(a) or (b), gaming may only be conducted on a riverboat while it is docked and the licensee shall not conduct cruises or excursions. A riverboat gaming licensee authorized to conduct gaming on a riverboat while it is docked pursuant to this Subparagraph shall pay the franchise fee in the amount provided in R.S. 27:91(C)(1) and the additional franchise fee in the amount provided in R.S. 27:91(C)(2).

            (2) Riverboat cruises shall be not less than three nor more than eight hours in duration for a round trip, should the licensee offer or be required to offer excursions while conducting gaming activities, with the exception of any extended excursions, each of which shall be expressly approved by the board.

            (3) Agents of the division may be on board at any time during gaming operations for the purpose of determining compliance with the provisions of this Chapter.

            (4) Gaming devices, equipment, and supplies customarily used in conducting gaming, must be purchased or leased only from suppliers permitted for such purpose under this Chapter.

            (5) Licensees shall permit no form of wagering on games except as permitted by this Chapter and the rules of the board.

            (6) Gaming may only take place in the designated gaming area while the riverboat is upon a designated river or waterway.

            (7) Gaming equipment may not be possessed, maintained, or exhibited by a person on a riverboat except in the designated gaming area, or a secure area used for inspection, repair, or storage of the equipment and specifically designated for that purpose.

            (8) Wagers may be received only from a person present on a licensed riverboat.

            (9) A person under age twenty-one shall not be permitted in the designated gaming area of a riverboat.

            (10) Gaming is permitted only on the rivers described in R.S. 27:43.

            (11)(a) Except for racehorse wagering and the play of slot machines, gaming wagers may be made only with tokens, chips, vouchers, coupons, or electronic cards issued by the licensee. Such tokens, chips, vouchers, coupons, or electronic cards may be used while aboard the riverboat only for the purpose of making wagers on gaming games. Electronic cards may be used which are affixed with a magnetic storage media, a "smart card" or those containing an integrated circuit chip, but excluding credit cards issued by any other entity or institution or cards which automatically withdraw funds from a credit, savings, or checking account held at a depository institution as defined by Section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 U.S.C. 1813, which includes any credit union.

            (b) Notwithstanding any provision of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph to the contrary, if the riverboat is also licensed by the board for a sports book in accordance with Chapter 10 of this Title, sports wagers may also be made in cash or through a patron's verified sports wagering account.

            (12) Licensees must use only those docking facilities and routes for which they are licensed and may only board and discharge passengers at the riverboat's licensed berth.

            (13) Licensees must have adequate protection and indemnity insurance, as determined by the board, at all times during operation of a riverboat.

            (14) Licensees and riverboats must have all necessary federal and state licenses, certificates, or other regulatory approvals prior to operating a riverboat.

            (15) Licensees may conduct no more than four tournaments per year in which the gaming positions utilized for tournament play are not considered part of the licensee's total number of gaming positions. A tournament conducted pursuant to this Paragraph shall be no more than fourteen days in length.

            (16) In addition to the above, gaming must be conducted in accordance with all the terms of the license, the requirements set forth in this Chapter, and rules and regulations adopted by the division and the board.

            Acts 1991, No. 753, §1, eff. July 18, 1991; Acts 1993, No. 572, §1, eff. June 14, 1993; Acts 1995, No. 1205, §1. Redesignated from R.S. 4:525 by Acts 1996, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 7, §3, eff. May 1, 1996; Acts 2001, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 3, §2, eff. March 27, 2001; Acts 2001, No. 1229, §1; Acts 2012, No. 175, §1, eff. May 22, 2012; Acts 2012, No. 711, §1; Acts 2018, No. 469, §1, eff. May 23, 2018; Acts 2021, No. 440, §1, eff. July 1, 2021.